The Saami people (additionally spelled Sámi or Saami), also called the Lapps or Laplanders, are the indigenous inhabitants of Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Kola Peninsula of Russia, and the border area between south and middle Sweden and Norway. 

The Saami traditionally celebrated the winter solstice by having a reindeer driving shaman, wearing a furry red and white outfit, climb through the smoke hole in their tents and leave gifts. 
  
The name Santa Claus originated with a Greek Saint named Nicholas who is credited with leaving gifts of gold coins in stockings. Also the Germanic God  Odin had a midwinter flight, called the a Wild Hunt, which was part of the tradition of Yule. 

Either way you slice it, Santa is European, so why the recent push to make him multicultural? Are other legendary figures from other cultures appropriated and made different races? Can you imagine Whites claiming that Buddha was white? Or how about Americans creating a white version of Saint Augustine or Saint Monica, well known African saints? 

Why then has it become popular to take a Greek Saint, a Germanic God, and a Scandanavian shaman and make him multicultural? 
  

  
Be aware, resist, speak up. Our traditions, our people are valuable and precious. We are happy to share them but we won’t let them be stolen.