Santa Claus

Santa Claus (also known as Father Christmas, Hooded stranger, Nick or Saint Nicklaus) is a Christmas themed non-player character who made an appearance in the 2004, 2005, 2008 and 2009 Christmas event. He is the father of Jack Frost, and husband to the Queen of Snow.

Santa is seen not wearing a Santa hat, but is instead wearing a hood. The current Santa Claus is very different from the 2004 Christmas event version who was called Father Christmas. The graphically updated Santa wears a different set of clothing and is much more obese.

2004 Christmas event
During the 2004 Christmas Event, Father Christmas appeared in numerous free-to-play and pay-to-play cities, these being East Ardougne, Varrock, Falador, Catherby, and Yanille. He could usually be found along important roads or in town centres.

When spoken to, Father Christmas would give players a yo-yo, a toy that only players who attended the event can receive. If players lost their yo-yo, they could obtain another by speaking to him again. If the player already had a yo-yo, he would just wish them a merry Christmas.

Following the event, Father Christmas disappeared. If players needed a new yo-yo, they could obtain one from Diango in the Draynor Village market.

2005 Christmas event
In 2005, Father Christmas appeared at the gate east of Taverley, near Doric's house. When players were instructed to deliver a box of baubles to a person at the gate, they would find him there, although he was called "hooded stranger".

During this event, he played a much less significant role, and was mostly just in-game as a sort of Easter Egg. As usual, he was removed following the event.

2008 Christmas event


In the 2008 Christmas event, his son, Jack Frost, freezes him, his sleigh and his four reindeers. Usually, Santa Claus is supposed to have 8 reindeers, excluding Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer.

Players had to defrost him by lighting several logs around his sleigh using a tinderbox (given to players during the event). No firemaking experience was rewarded.

When he was defrosted, players were awarded with the four pieces of the Santa suit.

2009 Christmas event
Santa Claus returns in 2009 Christmas event. In this event, the Christmas-hating Ebenezer Scourge kidnaps him and steals the food prepared for the Christmas feast organised by the Queen of Snow. Scourge does this to seek revenge on the Queen of Snow.

Santa Claus is freed when players, wearing the Ghost costume, scare Ebenezer Scourge by pretending to be the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. If players wore the costume and talked to Santa Claus, he mistakes the player for a real ghost, but quickly realises that the ghost is the player.

Trivia

 * Nicklaus, Santa's real name, is possibly a tribute to the person who inspired the myth, Saint Nicholas.
 * In Britain, where Jagex is based, Santa is not just called Santa Claus. He is also called Father Christmas. However, in the 2009 Christmas event, Ebenezer Scourge refers to the captive Claus as 'Father Christmas', strongly implying that both are simply different names used for one person.
 * The Queen of Snow's comical conversation with Santa Claus in which she states that Santa looks "well-fed" may be a reference to his earlier, thinner 2004 incarnation as "Father Christmas".
 * Instead of a santa hat, Santa Claus wears a red hood which has two white pompoms attached to strings resting on both shoulders.
 * Unlike the Father Christmas NPC, which is player sized, Santa Clause is morbidly obese, the Queen of Snow even remarked on this in 2008 Christmas event. 2010_Christmas_event_fbhint1.jpg