It dawned on me the other day, as I was shopping for the dozens of gifts it seems I have to buy every December, that Santa Claus is the most successful open source project in history. Santa Claus is essentially a marketing development that is embodied by everyone who stuffs a sock, gives a gift, hosts a dinner or wishes Merry Christmas over the holiday season. After all, we all embody Santa Claus, assume that spirit, especially when we’re writing “from Santa” on the gift tags attached to our children’s gifts.