User:SunshineSanta

Sunshine Santa is a character from the children's picture book, "Christmas Down Under," written by Maree Birch, that was published in Australia in 1986. ISBN 0-9588486-0-2. The book originated from a request from the son of the author for a White Christmas in the heat of a Noosa summer in Australia. Whilst being read a bedtime story on Christmas Eve, the boy expressed the wish "Mummy, I hope it snows tonight!" as if this would make Christmas just right. This lead to the opening page of the book "As I'm sure every Aussie and Kiwi would know, There's nothing so silly as Christmas with snow!" From there came the book and the creation of a Santa dressed in cooler attire more suitable to the hotter climes of Christmas Down Under as the poor fella would be really hot in "that old red suit". Sunshine Santa was born and became a hit on Queensland's Sunshine Coast appearing in shopping malls and on the national news. He seemed to be much more relaxed in his wide brim hat but he is still instantly recognisable as the same Santa as that in children's minds.