I hadn't realized that Germans had grafted a British/American style Santa Claus onto their previously Very Christian St. Nicholas as "Weinachtsmann." Literally Christmas Man. Criminals are a superstitious and cowardly lot, and I must strike Christmas into their hearts. The carol "Tomorrow Comes The Christmas Man" does not help with this.
@StormyDragon since I grew up Jewish, all I can do is look on in confused wonder.
It is a wild ride how *really* European takes on St. Nikolai somehow wound up as this incredibly American cultural figure. It's like if Paul Bunyan was actually Ogier Dansk mythology or something.
@Leucrotta
I only know this because I'm Pennsylvania Dutch (which is what the English called the German speaking Pennsylvania cultures because they misheard "Deutsch") heritage and "we invented Santa Claus" was a big deal growing up