My holiday cohost Anthony Bonilla joins me in my eccentric analysis of the legendary Santa Claus, his multicultural counterparts, his odd little assistants and his regal predecessors. Together we dissect the origins of an eclectic mix of yule tide characters. For instance, in certain parts of Italy a witch on a broomstick brings children their toys and cleans their home afterwards. In some Germanic cultures a raggedy wanderer named Belsnickel brings toys to well-behaved children and punishes the naughty. In some Latin American cultures the wise men bring the Christmas gifts instead of Santa. A little known fact about Santa Claus' attire is that Coca-Cola commercialism is the reason why Santa wears red and white. In this educational new podcast episode my cohost and I bring to light the myths, the legends, the mysteries and the histories of the yearly unseen Christmas gift bearer.
