Pity the poor Santas in warm places around the world. Those big boots, the hat, the beard. Imagine doing that in temperatures of 30 degrees. But it happens – every single year. Growing up in South Africa it was common to see Santa on the street in front of the malls ringing his bell and spreading good cheer. Even in sleepy little Mbabane in the hills of Swaziland where my children grew up we had a Santa. In fact the tradition is still going strong as I saw from recent posts of my Swaziland friend.
Throughout Africa Santa is a welcome visitor and you may see him not just in the fancy shopping malls but even in the middle of nowhere working hard to spread good cheer.
Whew – that looks hot. Never fear – technology is here with a specially designed Santa cooling vest. I kid you not. This would come in handy in some of these very hot destinations. Some Santas have it figured out however and were lucky enough to find a billet on board Paul Gauguin cruises in Tahiti.
Most of us (adults at least …. don’t tell the kids) know that Santa Clause derives from St Nicholas as the internet tells us (Mr Google just knows everything) – “The legend of Santa Claus can be traced back hundreds of years to a monk named St. Nicholas. It is believed that Nicholas was born sometime around 280 A.D. in Patara, near Myra in modern-day Turkey. … By the Renaissance, St. Nicholas was the most popular saint in Europe.” Well of course he would be the most popular saint who arrives every year bearing good tidings and gifts.
Many of us also have read the story that the Santa Claus as we know him today with the red suit was invented by Coca Cola to promote their product – but again – Mr Google sets us straight on this –
“Images of Santa Claus were further popularized through Haddon Sundblom‘s depiction of him for The Coca-Cola Company‘s Christmas advertising in the 1930s.[7][36] The popularity of the image spawned urban legends that Santa Claus was invented by The Coca-Cola Company or that Santa wears red and white because they are the colors used to promote the Coca-Cola brand.[37] Historically, Coca-Cola was not the first soft drink company to utilize the modern image of Santa Claus in its advertising—White Rock Beverages had already used a red and white Santa to sell mineral water in 1915 and then in advertisements for its ginger ale in 1923.[38][39][40] Earlier still, Santa Claus had appeared dressed in red and white and essentially in his current form on several covers of Puck magazine in the first few years of the 20th century.[41] “
There are however some Santas who cope very well with the heat – but then they know how to dress. I was going to finish off with a picture of an over-heated Santa. So I searched online for “hot Santa” and got this ….. I think it’s a keeper!
The Travel Lady's Blog 
Loved reading this thhanks
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