Santa’s gift to you this Christmas
Just a few more days now. He’s probably preparing the gifts right now, the “naughty and good” list and he’s making sure that his reindeers will handle that looong ride in one special night. We don’t know what you wrote to him this year, but until you receive Santa’s gift, we thought of a SURPRISE for you, to kick off the festive season. Let’s say we worked together with Santa for a gift-teaser this year. 🙂
We thought that you’ll surely want to keep close to those you love and miss with a phone call. Need more credit for longer talks this Christmas? Well, starting tomorrow, December 15, you can use the coupon XMASLIGHTS and get 10% BONUS on a Voice Credit order of a minimum of $15, placed until December 17, 2020.
Did you know that…
Santa Claus as he is usually portrayed in the movies or in cartoons is only one version of a mythical being who either rewards or punishes children and gives out gifts these days?
There are several representations of Santa around the globe:
- In France, he is Père Noël or Papa Noël (Father Christmas). He wears a long red cloak instead of a red suit, and children leave their shoes by the fireplace hoping that they will be filled with goodies after mass on Christmas Eve. Père Noël also traditionally travels with a not-so-friendly companion called Père Fouettard, or “the whipping father,” who punishes any children who have not behaved well throughout the year.
- Japan’s holiday gift-giver is Hoteiosho, a fat Buddhist monk with eyes in the back of his head. Some say he travels with a red-nosed reindeer and some say he works alone, but he doesn’t arrive on Christmas in either hybrid Christian-Buddhist tale.
- Sinterklaas is the Dutch version of Santa Claus who most resembles St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children and inspiration for the modern Santa Claus legend. Sinterklaas comes riding into town on a white horse, wearing a tall, red bishop’s hat and a jeweled staff. He knocks on doors and brings gifts to good children, while his companion, Grumpus, rattles chains at naughty children and threatens to kidnap them.
- In Norway, the Nissen or Julenissen come. Known as Christmas pixies or Christmas elves, the Julenissen were traditionally barn devils who would act as spirit guardians over farms. Nowadays, Julenisse comes from the North Pole and give gifts to little children on Christmas, just like the iconic version of Santa Claus. Unlike Santa, Julenisse wears grey clothes and usually has a grey beard instead of a white one.
