Every country has a Christmas character. In the Basque Country, it is Olentzero. On the night before Christmas, December 24, he comes to San Sebastian with his wife Marie Domingue. Olentzero descends from Mount Urgull and goes to the town hall, where he talks to children and collects letters with their wishes in a huge canvas bag. After that, surrounded by his elf assistants, he walks along the main streets of the city and gives out sweets and chestnuts to children. He is followed by locals in traditional Basque clothes with giant puppets. This entire procession sings traditional songs and dances. Olentzero and Marie Domingue visit ends in the town hall balcony from where they congratulates everyone with upcoming Christmas.

According to legend, the Basque Santa Claus lives in the Pyrenees, where he works as a coal miner, so sometimes his face is smeared with soot. He wears a beret and smokes a pipe, loves to eat and drink, like all Basques.

There is no single version of Olentzero's origin. According to one of them, he lived in a village of giants and one day saw a huge glowing cloud in the sky. No one could stand the bright light coming from the sky, only Olentzero was able to climb the mountain and find out that the cloud was a symbol of the birth of Christ. After that, he began to walk around the villages and announce the coming of the Savior to earth. Another legend says that Olentzero was abandoned in the forest by his parents immediately after birth. A fairy found the baby and gave him to a childless couple to raise. He grew up healthy and strong, helped his parents and loved to carve toys out of wood and then give them away. He died saving children from a burning house. For this, the fairy made him immortal. And now he returns every year to bring toys to the children.