He answered it, "This is Colonel Shoup." And then there was a small voice that just asked: "Is this Santa Claus?" MAN: Dad was very straitlaced, very disciplined. WOMAN: He was annoyed.

by Ben Finley / Associated Press TOPICS: The Christmas tradition has become nearly global in scope: Children from around the world track Santa Claus as he sweeps across the earth, delivering ...

The Christmas tradition has become nearly global in scope: Children from around the world track Santa Claus as he sweeps across the earth, delivering presents and defying time. Each year ...

Santa Claus' uniform may have some variations ... charts the history of his character and challenged his oft-repeated origins as a natural import of the Netherlands' St. Nicholas, Sinterklaas.

He answered it, "This is Colonel Shoup." And then there was a small voice that just asked: "Is this Santa Claus?" And dad realized that it wasn't a joke. So he'd talk to him: "Ho, ho, ho," and ...