The factual story revolves around an iconic mushroom known as the Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria). You may also recognize this mushroom as the Mario mushroom, or the mushroom emoji.
Amanita muscaria has hallucinogenic properties, but it is generally not desirable due to a variety of inherently negative psychoactive effects the mushroom will plague you with. These include mood bi-polarity, lethargy, nausea, and clouded thoughts. However, if you manage to escape the negative effects of this mushroom, you’d experience immunity to exhaustion, ignorance to pain, and an inflated sense of strength & confidence.
With proper training, the “bad” active compound in Amanita muscaria can be metabolized into the “good” active compound. Shamans would work with warriors in Northern-Eurpoean tribes, including the Vikings, in order to perform a “war dance”, which was characterized by aggressive screaming and physical agitation. If performed correctly, the war dance would elicit the Berzherker stereotype. Perfecting this dance was the mark of a seasoned warrior.
Okay, but how does that relate to Christmas? (Bear with me)
There are other, more verifiable ways of eliciting a positive outcome through certain extraction processes of Amanita muscaria, such as preparing a sacred wine. A more ancient, yet fool proof means to achieving this biochemical process was by drinking the urine of reindeer that ate the amanita mushrooms. This was the sociological origin of flying reindeer.
Furthermore, the vivid red and white color pattern on Amanita muscaria’s cap has influenced the color scheme.
So, the next time your child asks how Santa could possibly travel around the world in one night, at least be honest about it. Santa’s magic comes from mushrooms. And mushrooms come from Birch Boys. | 
