Science and History of Santa Claus:
Surprising facts about Santa’s journey
How long does Santa have on Christmas Eve?
• If Santa were to start delivering gifts at 10 pm on Christmas Eve and finish at 6 am on Christmas morning, that would give him only 8 hours to deliver presents. • Or would it? Santa must circle the globe. How would that affect how many hours he has for his work?
International Date Line
• The date in the Eastern hemisphere (to the left of the Int’l Date Line) is always one day ahead of Hawaii. So, Santa would gain 24 hours if he traveled west, around the globe.
So how long does Santa have to deliver presents?
• If Santa started delivering gifts at 10 pm on Tonga-and finished at 6 am in the Samoa Islands--how many hours would he have for his deliveries? (Hint: 24 + 8=?)
In that time, how many houses does Santa visit?
• There are about 378 million children whose families celebrate Christmas • At an average of 3.5 children per household, that would mean that Santa would visit 108 million homes • To reach all those homes, Santa’s flying reindeer would have to travel at many times the speed of sound.
But where did Santa (or St. Nicholas) come from?
• The historical Saint Nicholas was born in the 3rd century, in a Roman province that is now part of Turkey • Born wealthy, he gave generous gifts to the needy
Father Christmas
• In many countries the spirit of giving associated with Christmas came to be identified with St. Nicholas, or with a similarly generous figure: Father Christmas
St. Nick in Middle Ages
• This painting, created in 1425, shows St. Nick delivering gifts alone, on foot. • Clearly, as the world population grew, he would need assistance.
Santa Claus in the U.S.
• In 19th century America, a more modern image of Santa evolved • Elves helped him manufacture toys • Flying reindeer pulled Santa’s sleigh each year.
Who are Santa’s elves?
• English folk tales portray elves as small, elusive spirits with mischievous personalities. • The magical powers of elves would help to create millions of toys for children.
Are Santa’s reindeer girls?
• Male and female reindeer both grow antlers. But the antlers of older males fall off in December. So, since Santa’s reindeer have antlers on Christmas, Dasher and Dancer are most likely girls.
Naughty or Nice …
• Establishment of modern mail delivery allows children to write letters directly to Santa, describing gifts they desire • Still, the ultimate decision--naughty or nice--is Santa’s
Happy Holidays!
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