Santa’s Entrance into Valhalla is a musical salute to St. Nick’s Norse roots. The character is widely believed to be based upon Odin (in German, Wotan), chief among the Norse gods, who was also known as Jòlnir (Yule master) or Jölfuþr (Yule father). Around the time of the winter solstice, Odin, astride his eight-legged white horse Sleipnir, led the Oskoreia (Wild Hunt) accompanied by an entourage of Valkyries and other supernatural beings, flying over the countryside and inspiring terror. But Odin would also slip down chimneys to deliver gifts to children, who would fill their boots with straw for Sleipnir. The music incongruously conflates the Santa Claus and Odin legends, depicting the triumphant return of the benign hero of “A Night Before Christmas” to Valhalla, the hall of slain warriors over which he presides. The piece expresses my perverse desire to see a production of Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen with a fat Wotan in a furry red suit.