Newswise — Frank Riga, PhD, professor of English at Canisius College in Buffalo, NY, is an expert on Santa Claus. Dr. Riga has done extensive research into the origins of Santa Claus and other gift givers across different cultures.
His research includes how Santa's look has evolved over the years into the big jolly man in the red suit that we now know and love. For instance, America imported the image of Santa Claus from a jolly saint in Holland. And, we owe the great political cartoonist, Thomas Nast, for the image of Santa entering the house by way of the chimney and filling stockings with candy and toys and flying away in a reindeer-drawn sled.
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