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Introduction
Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, or simply "Santa" is a fictional folklore figure who, in Western cultures, is presented as bringing gifts on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day or on his feast day, December 6. Although Santa Claus as he is known in Western society is often said to have his origins in Saint Nicholas, a survey of manifestations of similar characters in other cultures indicates his origins may be much older than that. The popular North American form Santa Claus is derived from the Dutch Sinterklaas which in turn is a contracted form of Sint Nicolaas (Saint Nicholas). However, the Dutch Sinterklaas is depicted as being very different from Santa Claus in many ways. Santa Claus has a suit that comes in many colors depending on the country. The most common depiction (red with white cuffs, collar, and black leather belt) became the more popular image in the United States in the 19th century due to the significant influence of Thomas Nast. In the mid-20th Century a series of Coca-Cola advertisements featuring a Santa Claus drawn rotund and jovial by artist Haddon Sundblom popularized Nast's depiction. In the United Kingdom, Santa--or Father Christmas--is often depicted wearing a green suit.
Coca-Cola® Advertising 1963 There are controversial aspects of the Santa Claus fiction. Some Christians feel he takes the focus of Christmas away from Jesus Christ; others feel it is unhealthy for parents to orchestrate elaborate lies to their children to enforce their belief in Santa Claus. Others oppose Santa Claus as a symbol of the commercialization and conspicuous consumption of the Christmas holiday, and as an intrusion upon their own national traditions. Following is a description of some of the many names of Santa Claus as he is seen and celebrated around the world.
Merry Old Santa Claus, Thomas Nast Wood engraving published in Harper's Weekly newspaper, January 1, 1881
American Origins of the Jolly Ole Elf
Modern ideas of Santa Claus seemingly became canon after the publication of the poem "A Visit From St. Nicholas" (better known today as "The Night Before Christmas") in the Troy, New York, Sentinel on December 23, 1823. In this poem Santa is established as a heavyset individual with eight reindeer (who are named for the first time). One of the first artists to define Santa Claus' modern image was Thomas Nast, an American cartoonist of the 19th century. In 1863, a picture of Santa illustrated by Nast appeared in Harper's Weekly.
The Birth of Eight Tiny Reindeer
In the late 19th century a group of Sami people moved from Finnmark in Norway to Alaska, together with 500 reindeer to teach the Inuit to herd reindeer. The Lomen Company then used several of the Sami together with reindeer in a commercial campaign. Reindeer pulled sleds with a Santa, and one Sami leading each reindeer. The American commercial Santa Claus, coming from the North Pole with reindeer was born.
Thomas Nast immortalized Santa Claus with an illustration for the January 3, 1863, issue of Harper's Weekly.
Philanthropic Santa
The image of Santa Claus as a benevolent character became reinforced with its association with charity and philanthropy, particularly organizations such as the Salvation Army. Volunteers dressed as Santa Claus typically became part of fundraising drives to aid needy families at Christmas time.
Image of a man dressed up as Santa Claus holding a sign that reads, "Help the Volunteers of America send Santa down 10,000 chimneys" on the sidewalk of a commercial street in Chicago, Illinois. He is standing next to a chimney with another sign on it. He is wearing a mask with a beard attached. This photonegative was taken by a Chicago Daily News photographer in 1902. Photo available through the Library of Congress's American Memory project via the Chicago Historical Society.
Yikes, Santa's looking a litle eepycray in this photo, don'tcha think? Actually, he'd make a great face for a voodoo doll, he would.
A medieval fresco depicting St Nicholas from the Boyana Church, near Sofia, Bulgaria
Early Christian originsSaint Nicholas of Myra is the primary inspiration for the Christian figure of Santa Claus. He was a 4th century Christian bishop of Myra in Lycia, a province of the Byzantine Anatolia, now in Turkey. Nicholas was famous for his generous gifts to the poor, in particular presenting the three impoverished daughters of a pious Christian with dowries so that they would not have to become prostitutes. He was very religious from an early age and devoted his life entirely to Christianity. In the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, and Germany he is still portrayed as a bearded bishop in canonical robes. The relics of St. Nicholas were transported to Bari in southern Italy by some enterprising Italian merchants; a basilica was constructed in 1087 to house them and the area became a pilgrimage site for the devout. Saint Nicholas became claimed as a patron saint of many diverse groups, from archers and children to pawnbrokers and prostitutes. He is also the patron saint of both Amsterdam and Moscow. A number of Christian churches dislike the secular focus on Santa Claus and the materialist focus that present-receiving gives to the holiday.
An example of Russian icons of St. Nicholas flanked by personal saints This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5 License.
Old picture of St Nicolas in Clérey-la-Côte (Lorraine/France)
Odin, The Wanderer George Von Rosen, 1886
Numerous parallels have been drawn surrounding the figure of Odin, a major god amongst the Germanic Peoples prior to their Christianization. Since many of these elements are unrelated to Christianity, there are numerous theories regarding the pagan origins of various customs of the holiday stemming from areas where the Germanic peoples were Christianized and retained elements of their indigenous traditions, surviving in various forms into modern depictions of Santa Claus. Odin was sometimes recorded, at the native Germanic holiday of Yule, as leading a great hunting party through the sky. Two books from Iceland, the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson, describe Odin as riding an eight-legged horse named Sleipnir that could leap great distances, giving rise to comparisons to Santa Claus' reindeer. Odin's appearance was often similar to that of Saint Nicholas, being depicted as an old, mysterious man with a beard. According to Phyllis Siefker, children would place their boots, filled with carrots, straw or sugar, near the chimney for Odin's flying horse, Sleipnir, to eat. Odin would then reward those children for their kindness by replacing Sleipnir's food with gifts or candy. This practice survived in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands after the adoption of Christianity and became associated with Saint Nicholas as a result of the process of Christianization and can be still seen in the modern practice of the hanging of stockings at the chimney in some homes. Children still place their straw filled shoes or stockings by the chimney every winter night, and are rewards with candy and gifts. This practice in turn came to the United States through the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam prior to the British seizure in the 17th century, and evolved into the hanging of socks or stockings at the fireplace. In many regions of Austria and former Austro-Hungarian Italy (Friuli, city of Trieste) children are given sweets and gifts on Saint Nicholas's Day (San Niccolò in Italian), in accordance with the Catholic calendar, December the 6th. Numerous other influences from the pre-Christian Germanic winter celebrations have continued into modern Christmas celebrations such as the Christmas ham, Yule Goat, Yule logs and potentially the Christmas tree. Joulupukki is the Finnish name for Santa Claus or Father Christmas. The name Joulupukki literally means Yule Goat or Christmas Goat. This name is likely to come from an old Finnish tradition, where people dressed in goat hides, the apparition being called a nuuttipukki, used to go around from house to house after Christmas eating leftover food. Today Joulupukki looks and behaves mostly like his American version, but there are differences. Joulupukki's workshop is situated in Korvatunturi, whereas the American counterpart resides in the North Pole. Instead of sneaking in through the chimney during the night, he (traditionally played by a father, a grandfather or an uncle, today by a Rent-a-Santa) knocks on the front door during the Christmas eve celebration. When he comes in, his first words are traditionally "Onkos täällä kilttejä lapsia?" (Are there (any) nice children here?) He usually wears warm red clothes, uses a walking stick, and travels in a sleigh driven by a number of reindeer. The popular song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" in its Finnish translation, Petteri Punakuono, has led to Rudolph's general acceptance in the mythology as Joulupukki's lead reindeer. Joulupukki has a wife, Joulumuori ("Old Lady Christmas"), but tradition has not got much to say of her. One interesting theory about the origins of Joulupukki and his flying reindeer, comes from the aboriginal Sami people of Lapland. In the forests there is a common poisonous mushroom, Amanita muscaria that is red with white dots. The shamans of Sami used to feed this mushroom to the reindeer, whereby the intestinal tract of the reindeer would filter out the poison, but leave the intoxicating substances. The urine of the reindeer would then be collected, and used as a hallucinogenic by the shamans. The shamans would often have out-of-the-body experiences and fly in the sky, returning through the chimney hole of their tent or cottage to their bodies. This shamanistic tradition would nicely explaing the flying reindeer, the use of chimneys, and even the red-white colouring of Joulupukki. Pagan people used to have festivities to ward off evil spirits. In Finland these spirits of darkness wore goat skins and horns. In the beginning this creature didn't give presents but demanded them. The Christmas Goat was an ugly creature and frightened children. It is unclear how this personality was transformed into the benevolent Father Christmas. Nowadays the only remaining feature is the name. The process was probably a continuous amalgamation of many old folk customs and beliefs from varied sources. One can speak of a Christmas pageant tradition consisting of many personages with roles partly Christian, partly pagan: A white-bearded saint, the Devil, demons, house gnomes. Nowadays the Joulupukki of Finland resembles the American Santa Claus. Popular radio programs from the year 1927 onwards probably had great influence in reformatting the concept with the Santa-like costume, reindeer and Korvatunturi (Fell Ear, near Polar Circle) as its dwelling place. Because there really are reindeer in Finland, and Finns live up North, the popular American cult took root in Finland very fast. Maybe some caring soul decided that Joulupukki is just too scary for little kids. Today, Finland is one of the few countries where kids actually see Father Christmas in the act of delivering the presents.
Folk tale depiction of Father Christmas riding on a goat.
Father Christmas is a name used in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and several other Commonwealth countries and the USA, for the gift-bringing figure of Christmas or Yuletide. The same figure with the same name exists in other countries (in that country's language), such as France, Spain, Portugal and Italy. Although the terms Father Christmas and Santa Claus are often used synonymously nowadays, historically the characters were different. The use of "Santa" in preference to "Father Christmas" may be thought of as an Americanism.
The symbolic personification of Christmas as a merry old figure begins in the early 17th century, in the context of resistance to Puritan criticism of observation of the Christmas feast. He is "old" because of the antiquity of the feast itself, which its defenders saw as a good old Christian custom that should be kept. Allegory was popular at the time, and so "old Christmas" was given a voice to protest his exclusion, along with the form of a rambunctious, jolly old man. The earliest recorded personification of Christmas appears to be Ben Jonson's creation in Christmas his Masque dating from December 1616, in which Christmas appears "attir'd in round Hose, long Stockings, a close Doublet, a high crownd Hat with a Broach, a long thin beard, a Truncheon, little Ruffes, white shoes, his Scarffes, and Garters tyed crosse", and announces "Why Gentlemen, doe you know what you doe? ha! would you ha'kept me out? Christmas, old Christmas?" Later, in a masque by Thomas Nabbes, The Springs Glorie produced in 1638, "Christmas" appears as "an old reverend gentleman in furred gown and cap". The character continued to appear over the next 250 years, appearing as Sir Christmas, Lord Christmas, or Father Christmas, the latter becoming the most common. A book dating from the time of the Commonwealth, The Vindication of CHRISTMAS or, His Twelve Yeares' Observations upon the Times involved "Old Christmas" advocating a merry, alcoholic Christmas and casting aspersions on the charitable motives of the ruling Puritans. The traditional Father Christmas was neither a gift bringer, nor associated with children. However, during the Victorian era, when Santa Claus arrived from America, he was merged with the character called "Sir Christmas", "Lord Christmas" or "Old Father Christmas" to create Father Christmas, the British Santa which survives today. Nowadays, most Britons use the expressions Father Christmas and Santa Claus as synonyms.
Excerpt from Josiah King's The Examination and Tryal of Father Christmas (1686) Source: Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C.
Sinterklaas, 2007
Some speculate the name Santa Claus is derived from the Dutch Sinterklaas, their version of the character based on St. Nicholas. He is also known there by the name of Sint Nicolaas which explains the use of the two fairly dissimilar names Santa Claus and Saint Nicholas or St. Nick
The folklore of Saint Nicolas has many parallels with the Germanic mythology. Saint Nicolas has many resemblances with Odin, like the beard, hat and spear (nowadays a staff) and the cloth bag held by the servants to capture naughty children. Both Saint Nicolas and Odin ride white horses that can fly through the air. The white eight-legged steed of Odin is named Sleipnir. The letters made of candy given by the Zwarte Pieten to the children are reminiscent of the fact that Odin ‘invented’ the rune letters. The poems made during the celebration and the songs the children sing has to do with the fact that Odin was the god of the arts of poetry.
In the folklore and legends of the Netherlands and Flanders, Zwarte Piet (meaning Black Pete) is a companion of Sinterklaas whose yearly feast in the Netherlands is usually on the evening of 5 December(Sinterklaas-avond, i.e. St. Nicolas Eve) and 6 December in Flanders, when they distribute presents to all good children.
Zwarte Piet, together with Sinterklaas
Rev. Paul Nedergaard, a clergyman in Copenhagen, Denmark attracted controversy in 1958 when he declared Santa to be a "pagan goblin" after Santa's image was used on fund raising materials for a Danish welfare organization. One prominent religious group that refuses to celebrate Santa Claus, or Christmas itself, for similar reasons is the Jehovah's Witnesses. A number of denominations of Christians have varying concerns about Santa Claus, which range from acceptance to denouncement.
A Christmas Card showing a typical Scandinavian "Nisse", preparing his Yule porridge. Printed in Denmark and used in Iceland, Christmas 1915.
Julbocken by John Bauer, 1912
The Yule Goat is one of the oldest Scandinavian and Northern European Yule and Christmas symbols and traditions, with it's origins predating Christianity. Goats were connected to the Norse god Thor, who rode the sky in a wagon drawn by two goats, Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr. The function of the Yule Goat has changed throughout the ages. In Finland, the Yule Goat was said to be an ugly creature that frightened children and demanded gifts during Yuletide. During the 19th century, its role shifted towards becoming the giver of Christmas gifts. In Finland and the rest of Scandinavia one of the men in the family would dress up as the Yule Goat. Evetually, this tradition was replaced with the jultomte or julenisse (Santa Claus) at the end of the century, and the tradition of the man-sized goat disappeared. Up till the 20th century people thought of the Yule Goat as an invisible creature that would appear some time before Christmas to make sure that the Yule preparations were done right.
Currently, "going Yule Goat" refers to the custom of going door-to-door singing carols and getting food and drinks in return, often fruit, cakes and sweets. "Going Yule Goat" is similar to the British custom wassailing, as both have pagan roots.
The Yule Goat is represented as a straw figure and made into a variety of ornaments for decoration during the Yuletide season. In Denmark, the "Gävle Goat", a great huge goat figure, is erected every year in a public area on the first day of Advent, which according to Western Christian tradition is in late November or early December, depending on the calendar year. The goat has a history of being burnt down almost every year; 2005 being the 22nd time. During the 39 years of the Gävle Goat's history up to 2005, only 4 people have been caught or convicted. The burning of the Gävle Goat is not officially welcomed by the citizens of Gävle, but undoubtedly this is what has made the goat world famous and led to increased tourism for the city.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule_goat
The Gävle Goat from 2006
Scrooge's Third Visitor From Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, 1843
Pre-modern representations of the gift-giver from church history and folklore merged with the British character Father Christmas to create the character known to Britons and Americans as Santa Claus. Father Christmas dates back at least as far as the 17th century in Britain, and pictures of him survive from that era, portraying him as a well-nourished bearded man dressed in a long, green, fur-lined robe. He typified the spirit of good cheer at Christmas, and was reflected in the "Ghost of Christmas Present" in Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol.
Saint Joseph and the Child Jesus
In the Czech Republic, a group of advertising professionals started a website against Santa Claus, a relatively recent phenomenon in that country. "Czech Christmases are intimate and magical. All that Santa stuff seems to me like cheap show business," said David König of the Creative Copywriters Club, pointing out that it is primarily an American and British tradition. "I'm not against Santa himself. I'm against Santa in my country only." In the Czech tradition, presents are delivered by Ježíšek, which translates as Baby Jesus.
In Icelandic folklore, jólasveinarnir or Yule Lads, or Yulemen, are characters who have become the modern day (almost) equivalent of Santa Claus. Their number has varied throughout the ages, but currently there are considered to be thirteen. The Yule Lads were originally portrayed as being mischievious, or even criminal, pranksters that would steal from, or in other way harass the population (at the time mostly rural farmers). They all had descriptive names that conveyed their modus operandi. The Yule Lads are traditionally said to be the sons of the mountain-dwelling trolls Grýla and Leppalúði. Grýla, their mother, is ancient - her name is even mentioned in Snorri Sturluson's thirteenth century Edda. Grýla is said to wander down from the mountains in search of children that she puts in her sack. Grýla is definitely the dominant member in the relationship and generally considered more terrifying - even sometimes said to have hooves and a tail. Another prominent member of the family is the Yuletide Cat, a beast much feared by children. It was said that the cat would eat any child that didn't get a new article of clothing in time for Christmas. This belief lingers in the Icelandic language in the form a saying: "You don't want to go to the Yuletide Cat." In modern times the Yule Lads have taken on a more benevolent role as they slowly merge with Santa Claus. In some cases they have taken up his costume, and nowadays little children in Iceland place their shoes in the window for thirteen days prior to Christmas, and each night a little gift is left in the shoe from the Yule Lad that came down from the mountains that night. If the children are however naughty the get a potato instead of a gift.
Pictures by Halldor Petursson ca. 1950 http://jol.ismennt.is/myndasafn1.htm
Just when you
thought there were no other versions of our beloved jolly ole elf, along
comes Father Frost, or Ded Moroz as he is called in the culture of eastern
Slavs.
Father Frost Voodoo Doll © 2007 Denise Alvarado
© 2007 The Mystic Voodoo
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