Close your eyes and think of Father Christmas. What do you see? A jolly, fat man, with rosy red cheeks, a fluffy white beard and a red suit? Well close your eyes again and try and imagine him with a green suit rather than red...
Difficult maybe, but that is how the British Father Christmas should be dressed. In the 1930s a certain American soft drinks company decided Santa should be dressed in red as part of a marketing campaign and that has stuck.
There are many stories and legends about pagan winter festivals which include a 'Father Christmas' type figure, all of which have become part of the modern version.
It's likely he represented the coming of spring and wore a long green hooded cloak and a wreath of holly, ivy or mistletoe and had the ability to make people happier during the long winter months.
When the Vikings invaded Britain, their traditions came with them. At the end of December the Norse God Odin took on the character of Jul. He visited earth and sporting a white beard and wearing a long blue hooded cloak rode through the world on his eight legged horse giving gifts to the good and punishments to the bad. Father Christmas, like Odin, appears to travel as if by magic and be in lots of places in a short space of time.
So, several become one. All the legends and stories merge together, and we have that wonderful, magical character we welcome into our homes every Christmas!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/york/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8394000/8394067.stm