*foot notes

No matter what he’s called, the mythical gift-bringer is a common element in Christmas celebrations around the world--Father Christmas in England, Pere Noel in France, Old Befana in Italy, Jultomten in Sweden, and St. Nicholas, Kris Kringle or Santa Claus in the United States.

* The image of Santa Claus we have today--a jolly elf with a belly that shakes like a bowlful of jelly--can be traced to the poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas” (“T’was the Night Before Christmas . . . “) first published anonymously in 1823 in a local newspaper in Troy, a town in upstate New York. Historically, the poem has generally been attributed to Clement C. Moore, a biblical scholar at the General Theological Seminary in New York City. But in his recent book, “Author Unknown: On the Trail of Anonymous,” Don Foster makes a case for Henry Livingston Jr. of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., as the author. Foster, an English professor at Vassar College, first received notoriety for unmasking Joe Klein as the author of the book “Primary Colors” through a comparative analysis of the book’s text.

* If you want Santa to come to your Christmas party, it could cost you between $75 and $200 for a one-hour visit. Of course, if your shindig is on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, expect to shell out at least $350.

* Patty Sachs, the author of several party-planning books, offers a few tips for stress-free holiday party-giving, including: 1) “Don’t make your menu too elaborate. Dazzle ‘em with dessert, since it will be the last impression.” 2) “Choose a non-Saturday night for your entertaining--cocktails or desserts on a weeknight, a weekend brunch, etc.” 3) “Entertain with a friend--each invites an equal number of guests and shares all work.”

* And for after your holiday party, the Web site https://www.fabriclink.com offers an online stain removal guide that lists the top 21 types of stains and instructions on how to remove them--including wine, blood, candle wax, chocolate, eggnog, cheese sauce, gravy, ink, lipstick and turkey fat.