William H.C. Propp has written an article for the Biblical Archaeology Review online (The BAS Library) which asserts that the Christmas Tree is based on the ancient Near Eastern goddess Asherah (whose cultic image was a tree/grove) and that Santa Claus is an “avatar” of the high God El (or Yahweh).
This looks like it would be a really fun article to read (it’s most likely meant to be good holiday fun), and I am tempted to make the necessary (paid) subscription to the site in order to read the full article!

To check it out, click here.
If anyone has read the whole thing, please let me know what it says!

(via PaleoJudaica.blogspot.com)