Who is Ded Moroz?

Ded Moroz, or Grandfather Frost to give him the English version of his name, is the Eastern European version of Santa. He lives in the north east of Russia in a town called Veliky Ustyog and he delivers the presents to the children in Russia and some parts of Poland. He travels by troika pulled by three strong horses.

He hasn’t always been the good guy though. He used to be a winter demon, and people had to leave him presents of food and drink in return for him not freezing their crops. At some point he became more benign and is now the bringer, rather than the receiver, of gifts.

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