by L. Merlino

Created on: November 13, 2007   Last Updated: August 26, 2009

The traditional celebration of both Christmas and Halloween (All Saints' Day) have a lot in common in that they each share a fundamental link to Norse mythology.

Each of these major cultural events, with an impact on the Christian world and various other religious or spiritual traditions have been influenced by the myth of Odin and his amazing steed Sleipnir.

In Norse Mythology, Odin's magical eight-legged steed Sleipnir was considered the greatest of all horses. Myth has it that the giant Loki after taking the form of a mare, mated with the stallion Svadilfari who gave birth to Sleipnir (whose name means smooth or gliding, and is related to the word "slippery" in English). Odin's steed was capable of bearing him through the air and to and from the land of the dead.

- Christmas, or the nightmare before?

Before the Christianization of the region, Germanic folklore sported lively stories of the Norse god Odin who each winter at Yule, would launch a great hunting party with an entourage of fellow gods and slain warriors recruited from his realm in berzerk fashion.

Little children would stuff their boots full of carrots, straw and sugar for Odin's flying horse to eat and set them near the chimney at night. Odin, the prototypical Santa, often depicted as an old, bearded, mysterious man, would reward them for their good deed by leaving gifts or candy in place of Sleipnir's food. In Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, this custom survived after the adoption of Christianity, becoming associated with Saint Nicholas.

In Dutch folklore, both Saint Nicolas and Odin ride white horses that can fly through the air - alas, there was also a cloth bag to capture naughty children! Letters made of candy given to the children are reminiscent of rune letters bestowed by Odin in Norse legend. Celebrational songs and poems of the season allude to Odin as the god of the arts of poetry.

- Today, children place stockings by the chimney at night.

Eventually the custom of straw-filled booties (or shoes) migrated to America via the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam. It evolved into the hanging of socks at the fireplace. In many other parts of the world, children are gifted on Saint Nicholas's Day, in accordance with the Catholic calendar.

- Eight flying reindeer.

Santa's "eight reindeer" of Christmas lore is analogous to the eight legs of Odin's wondrous steed.

What's more dramatic is the concept of the "Wild Hunt" (associated with Odin), known as a raucous, bellowing movement across the sky, leading

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