All the Snacks Kids Around the World Leave for Santa Claus

Children love Santa Claus and every year, all over the world, the most adorable corruption attempt ever takes place: to befriend the big man in red, milk and cookies are left in every house to help Santa Claus continue his journey and bring gifts to all the children on the planet.

This happens especially in the West but different countries have different customs: not all nations have adopted the same traditions which often vary from area to area. Take Italy for example: it is common, in the Alpine areas, to leave mulled wine  with biscuits to warm up Santa Claus. In the South, however, for many years this tradition has been inextricably linked to the Epiphany and only the new generations have begun to serve milk and biscuits to this man who watches over children all year round.

But what exactly does Santa Claus eat along the entire journey that takes him from Pole to Pole around the planet on the night between December 24th and 25th?

The Secret of Cookies (and More) Left for Santa Claus

On the night of December 24th, there is a man who travels the world, committed to bringing gifts to all the good children. Since he travels this route at night, he always finds bars and restaurants closed and therefore, to recharge his batteries, Santa Claus must make do with what his "assistants" leave him. For children, the "sure proof" of Santa Claus's existence lies in the leftovers: the crumbs of biscuits, the empty glass where there was milk, a snack wrapper with nothing left inside.

In the U.s. these are the things that are popular, but around the world you can find everything and more in homes waiting for Santa Claus and his reindeer. After all, we had a first taste of the differences between cultures in the first season of How I Met Your Mother with Lily and Marshall, two of the protagonists, who discuss raising their children: the girl, a true New Yorker, imagines leaving the classic cookies next to hot milk; her boyfriend, from cold Minnesota, mocks her because "in a snowstorm she doesn't need a sugar rush, she needs proteins" and it is for this reason that in Minneapolis and the surrounding areas they would leave milk and stockfish for Santa Claus.

1. The Tradition of Milk and Cookies

This tradition is common throughout the West, with variations on the theme and ingredients of the biscuits. The original custom is linked to Nordic mythology and is very ancient; there are several legends linked to this custom. The most common one seems to have been born in Holland, a few centuries ago, thanks to Sinterklaas, or Saint Nicholas, the protector of children, the poor and the marginalized. In this legend, Saint Nicholas brings gifts to the children of a village in the Netherlands and stays with them for a while to see the effect they have on the mood of the little ones. The bishop's availability, however, leads him to linger and in the last house he finds the children sleeping. Despite their tiredness, the children have left biscuits and milk at the window to refresh the old prelate.

In reality, this custom is more American than European and is not even that old, which is why it arrived in Europe only with the economic boom, starting from the North. The ritual is linked to the Great Depression: poverty is rampant and parents try in every way to make their children experience a happy Christmas. The simplest way, together with some gifts, is to play on amazement: they convince children to sacrifice milk and cookies to leave for Santa Claus; at night, it is mom and dad who take a sip and bite the cookies to leave their children the "donated" food and "tangible proof" of Santa Claus's visit.

So how do nations celebrate this legend?

• Here in the U.S., even today, a glass of warm milk and a plate full of the characteristic cookies are left;
• in Canada, cookies are always accompanied by a bottle of maple syrup;
• in Italy they turn to their country's biscuits, whether they are for breakfast or as a snack;
• in Germany , with milk, make room for the characteristic zimtsterne, star-shaped cinnamon biscuits;
• in Austria there are vanillekipferl  for the night, excellent almond biscuits in the shape of a horseshoe;
• in Switzerland, they go for stereotypes: milk and milk chocolate.

2. At the Dawn of Legend: on The Trail of Odin

In reality, this custom is linked to the pagan cult of the god Odin. According to this myth, at the beginning of December, Odin used to hunt in the forests with his eight-legged dog, Sleipner. The children, to ingratiate themselves with Odin, rather than praying to him, try to win the goodwill of the animal by leaving carrots and other vegetables along the way in the hope that the god himself, moved by compassion, would recognize the children's work by giving them gifts.

For this reason, in many areas of the North of the world, the thought is all for Santa Claus's "helpers" and not for Santa Claus:

• In Sweden, there is cinnamon-spiced rice porridge to please the reindeer. The nicest ones add a cup of coffee to keep Santa awake;
• in Denmark, however, Santa Claus is completely bypassed: all the attention is for the elves. The children leave the traditional risengrød, a sweet similar to Piedmontese risotto, typical of Christmas;
• in Belgium and Holland they are much more traditionalist: children wait for Saint Nicholas between December 5th and 6th. Nothing for him, only carrots and hay for the horses that carry him around;
• The only country that is an exception among all this Northern Europe is Argentina: the children leave water, carrots and hay to help the reindeer (who, let's face it, have all the trouble in the world to carry Santa Claus around).

3. What Happens at Santa's "Hometown"

But how come, you might be thinking, so much Northern Europe and the two homelands of Santa Claus are missing? What's happening in Norway and Finland? Here the story is rather curious: in the world the "home" of Santa Claus is Lapland, precisely in the village of Rovaniemi in Finland. In Norway however, no, for the Norwegians Santa Claus resides in Drøbak, with a post office that every year sorts about 30 thousand letters:

• in Norway only biscuits are left, but of two types: the first are the traditional gingerbread men, which here are called pepperkaker, the others are the sirupsnipper, shortcrust pastry biscuits flavoured with anise;
• in Finland they leave something more substantial, munajuusto. It is an egg-based cheese made from both goat's milk, known as kutunjuusto, and cow's milk, called leipajuusto. Low and thin, really tasty.

4. In the Colonies of the British Empire, Santa Claus Needs Beer

If up to now we have painted a candid and cute scenario, we must correct the shot: in Ireland and Australia children leave beer for Santa Claus. In the land of kangaroos this makes sense: in Australia Christmas falls in summer and therefore beer is used to cool Santa Claus. In Ireland, on the other hand, the traditional Guinness is served, together with a fruit cake, the mince pie.

The same cake is also served in Great Britain and here too there is the tradition of beer, accompanied by a shot of sherry. English children, however, follow the example of those in the Netherlands and also leave carrots for the reindeer to eat.

5. In South America They Go for Panettone and Marzipan (More of Less)

Especially in Chile, but this tradition is also shared by Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela and Colombia, on Christmas Eve for Viejo Pascuero (that is, Santa Claus) it is customary to prepare pan de pascua, a ginger and honey cake with candied fruit. The shape is very similar to that of panettone and in fact it has Italian origins because the base of this cake is made with marzipan . It is usually accompanied by milk but in Chile tradition wants it paired with colemono, a cocktail made with brandy, milk, coffee, sugar and spices (chosen between cinnamon, cloves, vanilla and orange peel).