Père Noël
Père Noël (), "Father Christmas", sometimes called 'Papa Noël' ("Daddy Christmas"), is a legendary gift-bringer at Christmas in France and other French-speaking areas, identified with the Father Christmas and/or Santa Claus of English-speaking territories. Though they were traditionally different, all of them are now the same character, with different names, and the shared characteristics of a red outfit, workshop at the North Pole/Lapland, and team of reindeer. According to tradition, on Christmas Eve children leave their shoes by the fireplace filled with carrots and treats for Père Noël's donkey, Gui (French for "Mistletoe") before  they go to bed. Père Noël takes the offerings and, if the child has been good, leaves presents in their place. Presents are traditionally small enough to fit in the shoes; candy, money or small toys. Père Noël is sometimes confused with another character. In Eastern France (Alsace and Lorraine regions), in Belgium, in Switzerland, and in Eastern Europe there is a parallel tradition to celebrate "Saint Nicolas" on December 6. He is followed by "Le Père Fouettard", who exists also in different parts of Germany ("Knecht Ruprecht" or "Belsnickel"), Austria ("Krampus"), the Netherlands and Belgium ("Zwarte Piet" in Dutch , "Le Père Fouettard" in French). "Le Père Fouettard" is a sinister figure dressed in black who accompanies "Saint Nicolas" and spanks children who have behaved badly. In Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil, due to the influence of French culture in the 19th century, the name of / was adopted, opposing for example the name of in Portugal. In Turkey there is Noel Baba. In Louisiana Cajun culture, a version of Papa Noël is modeled after Santa Claus, in which he arrives at homes in a pirogue towed by eight alligators. In some families, his visit is followed by the arrival of a  figure called "La Christine" on New Year's Eve bearing sweets and nuts; in others, La Christine is simply another designation for Santa Claus.