Père Noël, known in the original Japanese version as Joulupukki, makes his home deep within a forest in Finnish Lapland alongside his spouse, Muori or Mrs. Claus. He leads a community of tonttu, Finnish elves or wights, who assist him in the year-round preparation and packaging of Christmas presents. This forest serves as both their home and operational base for these activities.
Père Noël acts as a mentor within the community, guiding both the elves and a group of nearby children, including his granddaughter and other young residents. These children join adventures and tasks related to Christmas preparations. His characterization highlights cheerful and respected leadership, sustaining the Christmas spirit in the enchanted forest.
Specific challenges he faces include logistical efforts like training reindeer during blizzards and coordinating present deliveries as Christmas Eve approaches. While foundational to the setting, the broader narrative sometimes shifts focus to the children's adventures, making him a secondary presence in certain episodic plots.
The French adaptation names him "Père Noël," directly linking to the French cultural interpretation of Santa Claus. This version retains his core attributes: leadership over the elves, familial bonds within the forest community, and responsibility for global gift distribution.