7. Santa Claus in Soviet Russia
During the early Soviet era, religious celebrations, including Christmas and figures like Santa Claus, were banned as part of the state’s campaign against religion. In 1928, Ded Moroz, the Russian equivalent of Santa Claus, was prohibited for being associated with religious and bourgeois elements. However, in 1935, Joseph Stalin revived Ded Moroz as a secular symbol for New Year’s celebrations, rebranding him as a promoter of socialist values (time.com).
