Santa Claus much to Odin, the old blue-hooded, cloaked, white-bearded Giftbringer of the north, who rode the midwinter sky on his eight-footed steed Sleipnir, visiting his people with gifts. […] Odin, transformed into Father Christmas, then Santa Claus, prospered with St Nicholas and the Christchild, became a leading player on the Christmas stage." In Finland Santa Claus is called Joulupukki (direct translation 'Christmas Goat'). Pre-modern representations of the gift-giver from Church history and folklore, notably St Nicholas (known in Dutch as Sinterklaas), merged with the English character Father Christmas to create the character known to Americans and the rest of the English-speaking
The Story of Santa Claus his voice work, and went on to make other Christmas specials such as "" and "The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus". The special was first broadcast on December 4, 1996 on CBS. The special has been rebroadcast in later years. It was released on VHS by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. John Leonard, writing for "New York", called the special "somewhat less animated" than the 1996 live action special "Mrs. Santa Claus". The Story of Santa Claus The Story of Santa Claus is a 1996 animated television special directed by Toby Bluth. It features the voices of Ed Asner,