Santa Claus: The man, the myth, the legend, through the years

As we look forward to Santy's visit this Christmas Eve, Robert Hume trawls through the archives to find Father Christmas has been making the headlines for many years

Generations of children have waited patiently for Santa Claus 

Once upon a time

While today’s Father Christmas is regarded with admiration and wonder, his forbear “was not treated with much respect”, writes Professor Ronald Hutton, being generally considered “a burlesque figure of fun”.