Just to add:
We have santa here also but on 5 december. (Sinterklaas)
Then at 25 december we have the christmas-man, which we do not call santa of course, that would be even more hard to keep it apart.
they look alike but not exactly. Santa wears a hat with a cross, (5 dec) and christmas-man (25 dec), wears a hat good for winter, with fur etc.
Your santa originated here in w europe, you imported it, then you export him backas the christman-man , which me use. Funny eh
Danny