Donate

Santa Claus

Pancho Claus is shown in a red jacket and black hat with his hands out stretch and holding stuffed animals.

In Houston, Pancho Claus is coming to town

Culture

Pancho Claus is a treasured holiday tradition in cities like Houston, Lubbock and San Antonio. Known for his low-rider and zoot suit, Houston’s iteration of Pancho Claus brings a Chicano flair to the role of St. Nick.

Design for the Real World: Old Saint Nick

Arts, Culture & Media
A worker removes snow in Red Square with St. Basil's Cathedral and the mausoleum of Soviet state founder Vladimir Lenin in the background.

Recalling a final New Year’s Eve with Brezhnev

Culture
A photo of Tam Duong's family during Lunar New Year in the early 1990s. Tam, on the right in the red dress, is from Los Angeles and now lives in Boston. Her parents are from Vietnam and Duong says she was confused as to why Santa never came to their home.

There’s nothing traditional about an immigrant Christmas

Belief
Mad Decent's Christmas album

When you get tired of Frosty, give these alternative holiday songs a listen

Music

How does a family show its support for a son who’s just come out? A rainbow Christmas

Global Scan

Tom Daley chose to come out of the closet this month and his friends and family chose Christmas as a time to show them how much they support him. The British diver posted pictures on Instagram of the decidedly rainbow-themed Christmas gifts he received this year.

A massive evergreen tree towers over the atrium in one of Istanbul’s largest malls.

Wondering why there’s Christmas in a Muslim country? It’s just business, as usual

Lifestyle & Belief

As Turkish businesses adopt the symbols of Christmas, some Muslim Turks don’t quite know what to make of it. One Istanbul municipality is banning Santa and some youth are planning to protest.

Saint Nicholas is followed by his two assistants called "Zwarte Piet" (Black Pete) during a traditional holiday parade.

Is Black Pete a black mark on the Netherlands?

Lifestyle & Belief

Santa Claus arrived in the Netherlands over the weekend, or rather “Sinterklaas,” as he’s known there. He doesn’t come with elves, though. Instead, he has a sidekick called “Black Pete,” who wears blackface, red lipstick and a wig. For some, he’s a beloved Dutch tradition. For others, “Black Pete” is just plain racist.

North Pole reindeer in danger of extinction

Environment

The Peary caribou and the dolphin union caribous live in the shadow of the North Pole. Changing global climates have the diminutive reindeer on the verge of extinction.

Track Santa as he moves across the world

It’s Christmas Eve and across the world, some are waiting for Santa’s arrival. NORAD is tracking his movements so good little boys and girls know when they need to go to bed.