| The American version of St. Nicholas, or
Santa Claus originally came from the Dutch version called Sint Klaas. The Dutch settlers in
New Amsterdam (New York) brought this fun and lively tradition (some even say cult) to
America.
This
version of Santa has given the current myth its visual form and these most curious
traditions:
 A
merry old man with red and white clothes
Eight flying reindeer, later joined by Rudolph the red nosed reindeer.
A home located on or near the North Pole
The habit of filling socks or stockings with presents
on the night of December 24th.
Also the habit of entering houses through the chimney.
The most important single source for our modern day
version of Santa Claus comes from the Christmas poem A
Visit From St. Nicholas by Clement C. Moore. Written for his children in 1823,
the family poem was later published for the general public and included what
became the now famous
picture of Santa Claus by Thomas Nast
( see below right ).
Actually the old "cult" of Santa Claus
incorporates many traditions: Christian
and Pagan, Old Catholic, Scandinavian, Dutch, German and English.
Santa brings us all together! Kids
all over the world know who Santa is... And although he may be a little commercial, who
can help, but love the jolly old elf?
It's the Idea of giving that
reminds us; we are all on this planet together, for the long run.
So lets be kind to one
another.
St. Nicholas
Countless legends (no documents exist) are told
about this Patron Saint of Giving known
as St. Nicholas. Within both Western and Eastern
Christian Churches similar mythology, or tradition, exists. According to
these legends, St. Nicholas was born in
the city of Patara, and traveled to Palestine and Egypt when he was
young.
He was later imprisoned during persecutions of the
Emperor Diocletian, but was fortunately released by the more humanitarian Emperor Constantine. He
attended the first council of Nicaea in 325.
Grandfather Frost
The Russian Grandfather Frost has strong Pagan relations. He is always accompanied by his granddaughter
Snegurochka (Snow girl), a merry girl who helps Grandfather Frost provide a New Year party for children
as well as bringing them gifts. He wears a long fur coat covered by bright beautiful cloth (blue or red) trimmed in fur. According to new tradition, Grandfather Frost and Snegurochka live in the town Veliky Ustug
from which they begin their New Year journey by troika of white horses.
Today Grandfather Frost is connected to New Year celebrations, but before 1917 he was much more related to Christmas.
Grandfather Frost and Snegurochka visit children asking them to sing or read a poem, sometimes asking if they were good, and of course giving presents. |
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In Greek, St. Nicholas is known as Hagios Nikolaos, Bishop of Myra (in the present day Turkey),
St Nicholas reportedly died about 350 AD.
Today, this mythical character is still alive and well and is known
all over the world as: Nicholas of Myra, Santa Claus or "Santa"
in America.
His fame spread rapidly
during the Middle
Ages and thousands of churches are dedicated to him.
He has been the patron saint of
Russia, Moscow, Greece, children, sailors, prisoners, bakers, pawnbrokers, shopkeepers and
wolves.
His gift-giving role in Christmas rites probably
follows from his fame as the friend of children. The story also tells that he used to give anonymous donations of
gold coins to persons in need. His cult spread in Europe and Christmas presents were
distributed on December 6th when the celebration of St. Nicholas took place.
In many countries this day is still the day of
Christmas gift-giving, although there is a mounting pressure everywhere to conform to the
custom of 24th/25th December. The relics of St.Nicholas are in the basilica
of St. Nicola, in Bari, Italy (they were stolen from Myra in 1087 AD). For this reason he
is sometimes known as St.Nicholas of Bari.
Multicultural Santa
In the United States and Canada, his name
is Santa Claus. In China, he is
called Shengdan Laoren.
In England, his name is Father Christmas
, where he has a longer coat and a longer beard.
In France, he's known as Pere Noel.
In Germany, children get presents from Christindl, the Christ Child.
Customs of the Christmas Season in Spanish speaking countries have many similarities, and many variations. All of Latin America and Spain are predominantly Catholic. For many of these countries Baby Jesus,
el Niņo Jesus, brings gifts for children.
In Costa Rica, Colombia, and parts of Mexico, the gift
bearer is el Niņo Jesus, "the infant Jesus." In Brazil and Peru, he's called Papa Noel.
In Puerto Rico, children receive gifts from
the Three Kings on January 6th, also called the celebration of Epiphany,
the 3 Kings' Day. Each child puts grass under their bed for the camels.
In
the morning the grass is replaced with gifts. Also,
Puerto Rico, being part of the United States, does its major gift giving on
December 25, with the Christmas Tree and Santa Claus - in this sense,
Puerto Rico is totally
Americanized.
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Epiphany remains a part of the holiday season in
Puerto Rico and is a day off from school. Giving gifts then is more for
traditional values than the actual gift-giving celebration. Unless one wants to make a specific statement about the importance of
maintaining traditional purity (anti-commercialism) and
disassociation from American
influence.
However, the celebration of
Epiphany is not just in Puerto
Rico. Some nations say it is the
3 Kings who bring the toys, while others credit
Baby Jesus, since it was He who received and wants to
share.
In Italy
Babbo Natale, which means Father
Christmas, is Santa. Children put a pair of their shoes by the door on the day before
Epiphany and the following morning they find them filled with small gifts and candy. Italy, like
Spain, Portugal and most of the
Latin American nations ( or countries speaking Romance
languages ), is mostly Catholic. December 25 is a day of more religious observance, remembering the birth of
Christ. The Epiphany, called Little Christmas, is the day for gift giving. However,
Babbo Natale does come on Christmas Eve in some parts of Italy.
In Spain children leave their shoes
under the Christmas tree the night of January
5th and presents from the Three Kings (Los Reyes Magos: Melchor, Gaspar and Baltasar)
appear the next morning. Santa Claus is
called Papa Noel and
some children receive presents both days on December 24th (from Papa Noel) and on January
6th
(from the Three Kings).
In Morocco he is known
as Black Peter
In Japan, Santa Clause is called Santa Clause or just "Santa". Children often call him "Santa no ojisan," which means "Uncle Santa."
(This information comes to you via the courtesy of Mr. Kazuo Miyasako of Dokkyo University. Many thanks go to the readers of Lone Star Internet)
In Sweden
Jultomten visits the evening before Christmas day, pulling a big bag of julklappar (Christmas
presents) in the deep snow.
På Norsk ( in Norwegian
) "Julenissen" arrives on the evening of the 24th.
In the Netherlands, he is called Kerstman.
In Finland, he is called Joulupukki.
Sinter Klaas in Dutch. He rides a white horse, leaving gifts in wooden shoes
In Russia, he is called Grandfather Frost
that is "ded
moroz" (the second "o" has its accent and the last "z" is pronouned as "s".)
He is also called Kris Kringle -
which comes from the German term "the Christ
Child"
(Christ Kind).
The information in this little piece on
Christmas customs around the world is as nearly correct as we can try. However,
readers are encouraged to write with corrections, and to confirm any of the
names for Santa found here at client@lnstar.com.
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| This name comes from the country Finland.
Literally meaning: Yule Buck. This Old pagan tradition remained strong in Finland but got a Christian flavor as time went by. 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, whatnot. 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 (Mount Ear, near Polar Circle) as its dwelling place. Because
there really are reindeer in Finland, and we are living up North, the popular American
cult took root in Finland very fast. Maybe some caring soul decided the 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 and probably the only country where the Saint really
does ask the children if they
behaved during the year. |
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Many writers have been instrumental in designing
the features of Christmas.
One of the most influential was
Clement Moore whose poem, The Night Before Christmas " A Visit from St. Nicholas"
, which depicted an early nineteenth century American Santa Claus,
one which endures for all generations.
Thomas Nast, the painter, got his
inspiration from Moore's world famous poem.
Thereafter no one could prevent the inevitable
triumph of Moore's Santa.
Thomas Nast
 Thomas Nast, a well
known and respected painter, found inspiration for his extremely popular painting of
today's
Santa Claus from Clement C. Moore's world famous poem, The Night Before Christmas ("A Visit from St.Nicholas" ).
Thereafter no one could prevent the inevitable
triumph of Moore's lovable Santa.
Thus Thomas
Nast, a very real and
now historical newspaper artist, was the VERY FIRST PERSON
to paint the first definitive portrait of our present day Santa Claus in 1870.
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Generally Father Christmas is known
as a bearded old man in a fur costume who appears in Yuletide and gives presents. His characteristics can be divided roughly into two groups:
- Those with traditional religious
significance,
- those with pagan origin
- Origins of Santa's many funny
traditions and customs:
- Gifts: From St. Nicholas and the Magi (The three wise men from the Orient in the New Testament),
- Beard: St. Nicholas is traditionally seen as bearded. The Magi are also bearded!
- Costume: The general form of the cloak probably derives from St. Nicholas,
although the traditional costumes of the three Magi also may have contributed. The fur
linings probably are add-ons to fit the Northern American Myth.
- Reindeer: Santa must use some form of transport. He comes from the North, so why not
reindeer?
- In Scandinavia
and Germany Santa comes on the 24th of December, knocking on the door like normal people.
The Stocking and chimney:
In England and
America the visit is a secret and is done at night. Why he comes in via the chimney probably stems from Clement C.
Moore's enormously popular poem.
- North Pole: The home of the American Father Christmas. Probably connected with the
general "Northern Exposure" of American Christmas lore.
Also, the fact that
Christmas is so very much Winter's festivity must contribute.
- Cap: Probably from the bishop's Mitre of St. Nicholas. Curiously enough the Mitre
resembles and possibly derives from the headgear of old Magi (mages, Persian priests. the other Christmas present givers). The Phrygian headgear of French Revolution fame might be another
influence.
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