Ded Moroz

Ded Moroz

Postmarked 29th December 2014, from Irina in Russia, via Postcrossing

Despite appearances this jolly old chap isn’t Santa Claus; in Slavic countries, and especially Russia, this is Ded Moroz (or ‘Grandfather Frost’) a mythical fellow who visits on New Year’s Eve to dish out goodies to children, and he’s not shy about it either: unlike Santa he doesn’t sneak down chimneys or clamber through windows, he turns up and begifts in person. More about him here.