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Kyrgyzstan set to name snowy peak after Santa

Father Christmas is about to join a pantheon of Marxist and Russian celebrities in the former Soviet nation, as authorities here prepare to name one of their snowy peaks "Mount Santa Claus."

Landlocked, formerly Communist and predominantly Muslim Kyrgyzstan might seem like an unlikely place to honor Santa, but that was before globalization.

A team of Swedish engineers recently said that Kyrgyzstan was ideally situated for Santa's annual delivery rounds. Kyrgyz officials now say they plan to name a mountain after Santa.

Mountains here previously have been named after the revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin and former Russian president Boris Yeltsin.

The effort started on Wednesday, as three climbers set off to scale the designated peak, which Kyrgyz authorities are facetiously insisting will be Santa's new home. The group is due to reach its destination and bury a capsule containing the Kyrgyz flag just in time for Christmas Eve.

The Swedish engineering consulting firm SWECO was concerned with optimizing Santa's gift-giving performance and reducing the strain on his reindeer. Kyrgyzstan, though, appears keener to exploit the tourist draw the mountain's status would represent.

"We want to develop tourism and Santa Claus is an ideal brand to help us do this," said Nurhon Tadzhibayeva, an official with Kyrgyz tourist authorities.

The country also intends to hold annual games in which Santas from all over the world will test their chimney-clambering, sledge-racing and tree-decorating skills.
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