Yule Goat in the family dressing up as the Yule goat. In this, there might be a relation to Santa Claus and the Yule goat's origin in the medieval celebrations of Saint Nicholas. The goat was then replaced by the "jultomte" (Father Christmas/Santa Claus) or "julenisse" during the second half of the 19th century and early 20th century, although he is still called the "Joulupukki" (Yule goat) in Finland, and the tradition of the man-sized goat disappeared. The Yule goat in Nordic countries today is best known as a Christmas ornament. This modern version of the Yule goat figure is a decorative
Santa Claus parade had music and banners, wagons filled with the spoils of war, and climaxed with the "dux" riding in a chariot, preferably drawn by two horses, and thus called the biga. (A quadriga such as surmounts the Brandenburg Gate is drawn by four horses.) Similarly, the climax of a Santa Claus parade is always Santa in his sleigh, drawn by eight reindeer (an "octigia"). Roman Triumphs were themselves consciously modeled on ceremonies honoring the gods, and Santa Claus himself is the descendant of Saint Nicholas. The Santa Claus parade directly corresponds to the modern "triumphal entry" of Santa Claus. Santa Claus