Christopher Ryan makes the case that "Santa is Amanita muscaria - the well-known red and white mushroom with a long history of shamanic use from Western Europe to Siberia":
-He comes from the North Pole. The Sami and others live at the northernmost point of Europe.
-He dresses in red and white. Just look at the photo of the mushrooms.
-He has a long, white beard. Of course he does. He's a wise, old shaman.
-He knows if you've been good or bad. Supernatural powers. Sure, he's a shaman.
-He enters the house through the chimney. In mid-winter, the entrance to a Sami dwelling is through the roof, as the walls are buried in snow.
-He puts the gifts under a pine tree or hangs them by the fireplace. Amanita muscaria tends to grow under pine trees, due to the acidification of the soil, and they are traditionally dried by stringing them up near the fire.
-And the flying reindeer?This is my favorite. Indigenous Sami life is centered on these animals. They use reindeer for clothing, shelter, transportation, and so on. But the reindeer have another use as well. It seems that the animals are very fond of Amanita muscaria, and a reindeer that has been eating these mushrooms becomes a very special animal indeed.
(Photo by Flickr user nutmeg66)
The Dish 