santa
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. Santa Claus; Father Christmas: A legendary, benevolent figure originating from Western Christian culture who is said to bring gifts to the homes of well-behaved children on the night of Christmas Eve (December 24th) or during the early morning hours of Christmas Day (December 25th). He is traditionally depicted as a cheerful, plump, white-bearded man wearing a red coat with white fur trim, red trousers, a black leather belt and boots, and who lives at the North Pole with his wife, Mrs. Claus, and a workshop of elves who make toys. He delivers presents globally using a flying sleigh pulled by reindeer, entering homes via the chimney.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- The children wrote letters to Santa listing the toys they wanted for Christmas.
- We put out cookies and milk for Santa on Christmas Eve.
- Many shopping malls have a Santa for children to visit and take photos with.
Advanced Usage
- "Santa's grotto" (chiefly British English): A temporary, often elaborately decorated area in a department store or shopping centre where children can visit a person portraying Santa Claus.
- We took the kids to see Father Christmas at the Santa's grotto in town.
- "Santa tracker": A website, app, or news segment that purports to follow Santa Claus's journey around the world on Christmas Eve, often using radar or satellite imagery as a playful concept.
- The children were excited to check the Santa tracker online before going to bed.
Variants and Related Words
- Santa Claus (n): The full, formal name for the character.
- Father Christmas (n): A name for the figure commonly used in the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth countries.
- Saint Nicholas (n): The historical 4th-century Greek Christian bishop from whom the legends of Santa Claus are partially derived.
- Kris Kringle (n): Another name for the gift-bringer, used primarily in parts of the United States.
- Santaland (n): A term for a themed area dedicated to Santa Claus and Christmas activities.
Synonyms
- Saint Nick
- Old Saint Nick
- The man in the red suit
Related Idioms
- "Is there a Santa Claus?": A rhetorical question representing childhood belief and wonder, famously addressed in the 1897 editorial "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus."
- When my son asked me "Is there a Santa Claus?", I told him Santa represents the spirit of giving.
- "Santa's little helper": Often used humorously to refer to someone, especially a child, who is assisting with Christmas preparations.
- My daughter was my Santa's little helper, wrapping gifts for her siblings.
Noun
- the legendary patron saint of children; an imaginary being who is thought to bring presents to children at Christmas