Worldbuilding is about making places and people! Whether you worldbuild to write, for an RPG, or just for fun, welcome!
Santa Claus?
For those of you with fantasy-based AUs where Christmas is one of the holidays celebrated, does Santa Claus exist in that universe? If so, does he follow standard tradition - or is he someone a bit different? If you try to keep some sense of realism in that universe, is it hard for you to resolve the issue of him delivering presents around the world in one night? Even if we factor in time zones and him travelling westward, it still tends to heavily stretch willingness suspension of desbelief. Even if we factor in that he has the ability to slow down time for that one night, it's still an awful lot of work for one man to do.




I have a Christmas-like holiday in one of mine (Yol) but there's no Santa figure. There is gift giving, and symbolic household ritual, but it all centers around wishing/ensuring good fortune/prosperity for yourself/others/your household. Of course, given that a wealthy household can expand dramatically if hosting Yol parties, I'm not sure how much "household" applies to some of the ritual acts.
None of my universes have a Santa-like being or a Christmas-like holiday. I guess working retail killed my spirit lmao. That's an interesting thought though. I suppose if there's multiple Santas, itd work a little better. Maybe not clones, but Santa is a position. ...I actually have a story that'd fit in well with...
In the Eastlands of The World, there is a holiday called Yeolas and there are gift giver figures. There's not a single Father Christmas, but rather there is the Yeolfather and his numerous assistants, the Yeolamen.
Yeolfather wears a long greatcoat of red hide and tall phrygian cap of red and around his neck hangs a long black cape with silver stars. His sledge bears the sign of the invincible Sun, and he heralds her return from the distant South. He drives his team of nine ferocious red-eyed, black-tongued hellcats around to every house in the kingdom.
But be forewarned! You must hang up a new pair of mittens by the hearth if you want a present. No mittens? No worries! No present for you! Oh, and be sure to leave a window open, just a crack before you go off to bed. Else the Yeolfather and the Yeolamen will have to break your window down in order to get into your house.
Ah yes, the naughty and nice bit. Just when you thought you were safe with new mittens, be sure you've been nice all year long! Yeolfather has his list, and he's checked it thrice. And if you've been naughty, the Yeolamen will drag you from your bed, hale you up into their sledge and drop you off out in the wild somewhere, out where it's cold and the hillcats are howling and the hillcats certainly look forward to fresh meat for their Yeoltide supper!