Santa Claus

Father Christmas, Père Noel, Saint Nicholas, Kris Kringle, and Santa Claus are better left as they are, even with the acknowledgment that these male figures reinforce the cultural male-as-norm system. Mrs. Claus goes largely unrecognized; she doesn't even have a first name. There is nothing inherently wrong with a male Santa Claus; the problem is that nearly every cultural icon of this magnitude is male. (Various Santa societies have debated opening its membership to female Santas—Mrs. Claus or Mother Christmas.) Those interested in promoting female as well as male heroes could introduce Befana, or La Befana, the Italian version of Santa Claus, who carries a cane and a bell and traditionally drops down the chimney on the twelfth night of Christmas.