Santa Claus, Saint Nick, etc. and the Wizarding World

[LyannaS]

Originally Posted by MoscowKrum

I think Santa in the HP world could use Portkeys all over the world.
Floo Powder, however, combined with Accio, might also work.

Those are neat ideas.

But we're talking only about Caucasian Santas here. I've seen pictures on-line with Black Santas, Asian Santas... I wonder whether the Egyptian and Ethiopian Coptic Christians have their own Santas too?

At the Quidditch World Cup in GoF there were African families, and there was talk of some Arab wizards. How do you think their Santas look like?

What would be the equivalent of reindeer and elves in tropical climes?

[asdfasdf17]

Originally Posted by LyannaS

Those are neat ideas.

But we're talking only about Caucasian Santas here. I've seen pictures on-line with Black Santas, Asian Santas... I wonder whether the Egyptian and Ethiopian Coptic Christians have their own Santas too?

At the Quidditch World Cup in GoF there were African families, and there was talk of some Arab wizards. How do you think their Santas look like?

What would be the equivalent of reindeer and elves in tropical climes?

I think reindeer in those climates could be camels instead! That would be so funny.

Heres my ideas on Santa Claus:

i agree with the idea that he'd have house-elves to be his little helpers but I don't think he'd pay them, I think they'd like to do it for free.
Since wizards generally have longer life-spans than muggles, I'd say that the same Santa Clause could be in work for a good century or so. Than he'd pass the job onto his son of the same name (like in those Santa Clause movies).

I'm guessing his reindeer would be the magical, special ones that could fly (or could they be bewitched to fly? Maybe that would be breaking some law on the treatment of magical beasts, Idk). I don't like the idea of thestrals, they seem slightly too gloomy/sinister for Christmas time. Or maybe he uses the type of horses that the Beauxbatons school used when they arrived to Hogwarts in their carriage.

As for the naughty and nice list, I think it's automatically update itself based on the behavior of the child. I believe Rowling said in an interview or somewhere that a magical quill recorded the names of magic-blessed children which was how they knew who to send Hogwarts letters to. So the same idea could be used with the Naughty and Nice list.
I also like the idea of a bag-enlargement spell that would allow Santa to fit in all those gifts!

Also, maybe he has a time-turner which allows him to go back in time all through the night so that he has more than enough time to deliver the presents (I know in OotP all the time-turner got destroyed but all those time-turners were in the department of mysteries. For all we know, Santa could have his own at his place). Although, I wonder how a time-turner would work when Santa crossed time-zones?

As for his house, I'd say Santa definitely lives in the North Pole but his house and his workshop could be protected by a Secret-Keeper enchantment so that no one can find it and steal all his toys. Mrs. Claus could be the secret-keeper!

I like the idea of Santa using Floo Powder to go into other people's fireplaces but than that'd defeat the purpose of traveling the world with his flying reindeer/camels/horses. Maybe he uses a special charm that enlarges the fireplace and makes it easy for him to drop inside (sort of like in that one Christmas movie, I forgot the name of it, but that's the trick Santa uses).

I would think that Santa would get all his material to build the toys as well as food/drink and other necessities from wizards shops around the world. Maybe his elves get the stuff for him but I guess it would be weird if a house elf went shopping. Possible Santa uses Polyjuice Potion to look like an average guy and than walks into the store and buys his stuff.

I think Santa stays fat because he eats all those cookies/milk treats that kids leave out for him by the tree. Since he probably can't eat them all in one night (or maybe he can?) he would save the rest and than eat them all year long.

[MrSleepyHead]

Originally Posted by asdfasdf17

I think Santa stays fat because he eats all those cookies/milk treats that kids leave out for him by the tree. Since he probably can't eat them all in one night (or maybe he can?) he would save the rest and than eat them all year long.

Or maybe an Engorgement Charm gone wrong?

Although I'm enjoying the idea of Santa Claus as a wizard in the Potter world (and lots of his features and magic would fit well), I still rather doubt that it would be true in JKR's mind. In the books, Santa Claus (more commonly referred to as "Father Christmas") seemed mentioned in passing, when there were casual references to him (like the house-elf heads being dressed as Father Christmas in OotP). It is interesting, though, that Ron knows of him ("Yeah, I've seen those things they think are gnomes," said Ron, bent double with his head in a peony bush, "like fat little Santa Clauses with fishing rods..." - CoS). The fact that Santa Claus transcends the wizard/Muggle boundary may lend credence to this thread's theory after all.

[Temery]

I"d like to think that may be Santa's "house" elves loved him so much they used their "special magic" to extend his life.

[LyannaS]

Originally Posted by asdfasdf17

I think reindeer in those climates could be camels instead! That would be so funny.

And elves would be little djinnis?

That would be a cool idea for this year's calendar!

[Grymmditch]

The only issue with this otherwise awesome fan fiction bit is with Santa/Father Christmas using floo powder to get around. That would mean all muggle fireplaces are connected to the floo network, which, according to HP canon, is not the case. Didn't the Dursleys' have to be specially hooked up and approved by the Mom?

[LyannaS]

Originally Posted by Grymmditch

The only issue with this otherwise awesome fan fiction bit is with Santa/Father Christmas using floo powder to get around. That would mean all muggle fireplaces are connected to the floo network, which, according to HP canon, is not the case. Didn't the Dursleys' have to be specially hooked up and approved by the Mom?

I haven't read this particular piece of fan fic, but my first thought about Floo powder is: Even if we set aside the European fireplaces not connected to the Floo network, there aren't fireplaces all over the world. How would Santa get to, say, the Filipino or the Nigerian children?

We know there are African witches (I sort of remember there were some at the World Cup) - do they have a different Father Christmas with an alternate means of transportation? Portkeys look like a good solution to me.

[Macindaw]

I know Father Christmas isn't actually from Britain, but if he was what house would he be in? Not slytherin, but he possesses qualities from each of the other houses. He is hardworking like hufflepuff, wise like ravenclaw, and noble like griffindor

[asdfasdf17]

Originally Posted by Macindaw

I know Father Christmas isn't actually from Britain, but if he was what house would he be in? Not slytherin, but he possesses qualities from each of the other houses. He is hardworking like hufflepuff, wise like ravenclaw, and noble like griffindor

I imagine that he would be in Hufflepuff.