The magic of Christmas around the world

This is the most magical time of the year. For a few weeks, a large part of the world is caught up in the excitement of Christmas. People are happier, we remember our family values, and we even seem to welcome the cold weather looming on the horizon.

In many corners of the world we see the start of the typical Christmas traditions of each place. These include the various Santa Clauses who make their magical appearance to the delight and amazement of children all over the world.

San Sebastián, the site of Lander's head offices, and the Basque Country as a whole, celebrates the arrival of the “Olentzero”.

There are dozens of legends about this character throughout the whole of the region. This mythological coalman is represented as a thickset man covered in coal dust and with a hearty appetite.

According to a widespread tradition in the Basque Country, the days around the winter solstice commemorated the necessary renewal of nature and man. The belief was that death was followed by life. It's precisely this idea of renovation and revitalisation that's symbolised by the figure of the Olentzero, and explains his old and tattered appearance, because he actually represents the past that's about to die. Some scholars of the subject claim that his name comes from the term “Oles-aro” (time of grace). This is believed to be the name the old Basques gave to the period of the winter solstice, which was subsequently taken by Christianity to celebrate Christmas. With the arrival of Christianity, the Olentzero abandoned his role as a herald of nature to become the bearer of a message with a profoundly Christian meaning: the birth of Jesus.

Whatever his origin, in the 20th century he has taken on elements from the traditions of Father Christmas, the Three Kings and Baby Jesus to become a figure who brings gifts to the children in the Basque Country on the chilly night of 24 December.

But he's not the only one who's been working hard these last few days.

In Europe alone there are a multitude of figures such as: Baby Jesus in southern Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary and the former Czechoslovakia, and the Christmas gnome in Norway and Sweden. What's more, Santa Claus himself is known by different names depending on the country, such as Sinterklaas in Holland, Babbo Natale in Italy, Father Christmas in the UK, Julemanden in Denmark, Papai Noel in Brazil, and many others.

Regardless of his name or appearance, there's no doubt that once again this year he has succeeded in making children and adults in many parts of the world equally happy.