Old World Santa on an Antique Tricycle

This ornament is about 4� inches long and 5 inches tall. The Old World Santa is red coat with white trim, black belt and matching hat, blue trousers with white trim, green gloves and brown satchel at his side. He is riding an antique style tricycle with two small wheels on the back and one giant wheel on the front. Select this link to view our Santa Ornaments.

History of Santa Claus
Born in the United States of mixed ethnic and religious heritage, Santa Claus embodies the American ideal of the nation as a great melting pot of cultural identities. Santa Claus became an important folk figure in the second half of the nineteenth century, about the time when Americans were beginning to celebrate Christmas in large numbers. Santa Claus bears a good deal of resemblance to his closest relative, the old European gift bringer St. Nicholas. Indeed �St. Nick� serves as one of Santa�s nicknames. Select this link to view our Jolly Old St. Nick Flying a Helicopter.
Many popular songs tell of his North Pole and Christmas Eve activities. Nearly every American child can tell you that Santa is a plump, old man with a white beard who wears a baggy red suit and cap trimmed with white fur. Many send letters to his North Pole workshop describing the gifts they would like to receive for Christmas. They eagerly await Christmas Eve, when he loads his sled with toys for good girls and boys and flies around the world, sliding down chimneys to place the presents under decorated Christmas trees. As if to confirm this Christmas fairy tale, men in Santa suits regularly appear on street corners, at office parties, and in department and toy stores around Christmas time. Select this link to view our Santa Driving Antique Car.

History of The Santa Claus Express
The Santa Claus Express is a generic name applied to a number of holiday railroad excursions throughout the United States. Often sponsored by railroad museums and incorporating appropriately decorated vintage locomotives and cars, the Santa Claus Express may offer scenic tours beginning in late November and continuing through December. By other schedules, the Express stops at towns and villages along the line, at which time professional or amateur performers provide a Yuletide concert or show for citizens waiting outside. Select this link to view our Flying Father Christmas.
The Santa Claus Express also is a vehicle for delivering toys and gifts to underprivileged children, an example of which can be found in Appalachia. Since the mid 1440s on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, officials of CSX Transportation have furnished a locomotive and cars so that the Santa Claus Express could wind its way from Pikeville, Kentucky, across Virginia, and into Kingsport, Tennessee. All along the tracks, children and families gather, many having camped overnight to secure strategic positions. When the train slows at each whistle stop, children run behind as Santa, who addresses everyone as �darlin�,� and his assistants, who are local businessmen, toss candy, small toys, and other gifts into eager hands. Local merchants, some of whom were once among those children chasing the train, donate the gifts, which become the only Christmas presents that many children will receive each year. Select this link to view our St. Nick on a Motorcycle.