All the Best Santa Facts About Kris Kringle Himself

Jessica Sager
·4 min read

Santa Claus

Christmas Day will be here before you know it, and that means Santa Claus will be coming to town! Right now, he and his elves are resting before heading out on his annual trek around the world with his reindeer to deliver joy to children all around the world. While everyone is pretty familiar with Santa Claus in a general sense, there is more to jolly old St. Nick than we often get to see: How old is Santa? Where does Santa live? What is Santa's real name? Get to know Santa and get answers to your burning questions here with Santa facts.

Related: Dear Santa! This Is Kris Kringle's Real Address

The Best Santa Facts:

What is Santa's real name?

Santa Claus' real name is Saint Nicholas. He is also known as Kris Kringle, Father Christmas and The Man With the Bag.

Related: Elf Jokes

How old is Santa?

Long before he became Santa Claus, St. Nicholas was born in a Greek village in 270 A.D., as Quartz reported. That means he's a whopping 1,752 years old now! That is still quite young for someone magical.

In a YouTube video, neurology and biochemistry professor James Giordano of Georgetown University explains that Santa doesn't age in part because of his layers of fat improving his skin tone. He also has great bone density and cardiovascular health. Living in the North Pole and flying with his reindeer also contribute to his looking far more youthful than his years.

Related: Santa Quotes

Is Santa an elf?

Whether or not Santa is an elf is still up for debate after 1,750 years. Like most elves, Santa ages very slowly and is full of magic, cookies and cheer, but he's also significantly taller than other elves. In A Visit From St. Nicholas, Clement C. Moore describes Santa as "a right jolly old elf," but it's possible he just needed a rhyme to go with the word "myself" in his poem!

Related: 9 of the Biggest Santa Claus Myths—Debunked

Where does Santa live?

Santa Claus lives in the North Pole.

Related: 15 Virtual Christmas Games to Keep You Merry When You're Not Able To Travel To Loved Ones

Where is Santa?

You know how Santa always knows what you're up to and where you are? If you're wondering where Santa is during the holiday season, you can track his whereabouts, too! NORAD and Google each have trackers to monitor when Santa will be near you. Just note that on Christmas Eve he will only stop at your home if you are asleep!

Related: Santa's Reindeer Names

What is Santa's wife called?

Santa's wife is simply known as Mrs. Claus. Her first name is unknown, and it's unclear if that's because she prefers to maintain an air of mystery or because we live in a patriarchal society that doesn't acknowledge her contributions to Christmas, which reportedly include baking cookies, caring for the reindeer, assisting elves and managing the operations of the North Pole.

Related: Santa Jokes

How old is Mrs. Claus?

A lady never tells her age, but Mrs. Claus is said to be just slightly younger than Santa.

What are Santa Claus' other names around the world?

Because Santa Claus travels the globe every Christmas Eve, he has a lot of names in different languages. Some of those include:

  • Sinterklaas (Dutch for "Saint Nicholas")

  • Père Noël / Papa Noël (French for "Daddy/Father Christmas")

  • Weihnachtsmann (German for "Christmas Man")

  • Papa Noel (Spanish for "Father Christmas")

  • Papai Noel (Portuguese for "Father Christmas")

  • Babbo Natale (Italian for "Father Christmas")

  • Noel Baba (Turkish for "Father Christmas")

  • Święty Mikołaj (Polish for "Father Christmas")

  • Дед Мороз, pronounced "Ded Moroz" (Russian for "Grandfather Frost")

Does Santa have kids?

Santa and Mrs. Claus do not have biological children, but they care for and bring cheer to children all around the world. It would be difficult to juggle all of that while raising kids of their own!

Can I call Santa?

You can call Santa! Here are some ways to call Santa for free:

What is Santa's favorite drink?

Santa loves cookies and milk on Christmas Eve, but his favorite drink is actually egg nog!

What is Santa's favorite food?

Santa's favorite food is cookies!

What is Santa's favorite color?

Santa Claus' favorite colors are festive: He loves red, and his second favorite color is green.

Next, read 50 reindeer jokes.