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
Santa Claus parade parade, known today as the Art Van Santa Parade, made history in 1971 when it became the first parade to end with the arrival of an African-American Santa Claus. The Hollywood Christmas Parade (formerly The Santa Claus Lane Parade) in Southern California is a seasonal tradition that somewhat competes with the Rose Parade and the Doo Dah Parade. Gene Autry wrote the well known Christmas song "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)." after hearing children on the Santa Claus Lane Parade route yelling "Here Comes Santa Claus!" upon glimpsing Santa in the distance. As part of its