Ded Moroz is the name of the Russian Santa Claus and it literally means “Grandfather Frost”. Unlike Santa Claus, Ded Moroz wears a long coat all the way to the toes, sometimes red, sometimes blue, and sometimes white. Also, unlike Santa Claus, he almost never comes alone. His granddaughter, Snegurochka, is his constant companion. Snegurochka is made of snow, with predictable consequences. Before her association with Ded Moroz, she appeared in several Russian fairy tales, each of which ended with her melting.
Historians cannot agree on the origins of Ded Moroz and how he came to Russia. It is believed that its prototype is a Slavic pagan deity – the ruler of winter, cold and frost.
The attitude of the Russian Orthodox Church to Ded Moroz is also ambiguous. On the one hand, he seems to be the personification of pagan traditions. And on the other hand, he has become so firmly accustomed to the mentality of the Russian people during the years when religion was under prohibition, that fighting his popularity proved meaningless.
https://www.ancient-origins.net/myt...-snow-maiden-magical-characters-winter-020655
Historians cannot agree on the origins of Ded Moroz and how he came to Russia. It is believed that its prototype is a Slavic pagan deity – the ruler of winter, cold and frost.
The attitude of the Russian Orthodox Church to Ded Moroz is also ambiguous. On the one hand, he seems to be the personification of pagan traditions. And on the other hand, he has become so firmly accustomed to the mentality of the Russian people during the years when religion was under prohibition, that fighting his popularity proved meaningless.
https://www.ancient-origins.net/myt...-snow-maiden-magical-characters-winter-020655