Amazing Hand Carved and Painted Wooden Santa - Arctic Express

• RUSSIAN WOODEN SANTA Arctic Express
• Hand carved and painted
• Signed by the artist
• Exclusive artwork
• Size: about 9.5" x 3" x 9 3/4" (tall) 
• Signed by the artist
• New in perfect condition. Made in Russia 

Our Santa’s are hand carved in an Art Studio near Moscow by master sculptors from specially selected linden wood. Every miniature and detail is meticulously hand painted with watercolors and acrylic to make each Grandpa Frost figurine beautiful and unique. It takes up to 25 hours to finish one figurine, which makes each design naturally limited. Origins of Grandpa Frost The original Gift-Giver of Russia was St. Nicholas. Since the Russian Orthodox Church recognizes the Julian calendar, all religious holidays are celebrated 13 days later then the Western Gregorian calendar. St. Nicholas brought gifts to children on Christmas celebrated ob January 7th. In the late 19th century, Grandpa Frost (Ded Moroz) replaced the traditional St. Nicholas, as Russian response to the Santa Claus. Grandpa Frost always wore a full-length long robe, with red, white, and blue colors. He was a tall thin character, and he always carried a long colorful walking stick. On Christmas he traveled all over Russia in a traditional three-horse drawn sleigh (troika). After the Communist Revolution, Grandpa Frost became the Gift-Giver on New Year’s Day. After 1950's the popular fairy tale character, Snow Maiden (Snegurochka) joined Grandpa Frost in Gift-Giving, and soon after she was recognized as his granddaughter. Today, children can visit Grandpa Frost in a picturesque northern village near Viliky Ustyug. Situated in the dense taise taiga forest at the confluence of three rivers sits the little log cabin of Ded Moroz.