Dunno about that Wouldn't it have been easier for his parents to explain about guys on camels bringing gifts than explaining about a guy flying on a sleigh drawn by reindeer coming from the North Pole?
The story of the wise men has an allegorical understanding apart from possibly being historical; The sleigh and reindeer tradition is a caricature of the holy deeds of Saint Nicholas.
Absolutely. He created the spirit of Santa Claus. Santa was a giver of joy and lived to please mankind by delivering everyone gifts on the day of the Lord's birth. What is more loving or magical than that story? Jesus was God. Jesus became God because He saw Christ Consciousness. He became one with the Consciousness of the Cosmos, Or Christ Consciousness.
Santa Claus is a symbol of Christ Consciousness. No difference. Both come from Love and Service to all of mankind. That is the pathway to God and the most valuable gift Santa shows us. He is a role model for virtue and service. He shows us the merriment out soul gets from thinking of giving and spreading joy to others.