History of Santa Claus

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The Evolution of Santa

"He sees you when you're sleeping; he knows when you're awake..." No, it's not a stalker or peeping tom; it's Santa! All around the world people treasure this Christmas icon (or a related figure), but how much do you really know about this mysterious gift-giver?

Many regard Santa as nothing more than a children's fairy tale figure, but he has some basis in the real world. Santa is a character derived from the legendary bishop Saint Nicholas. This is why he is sometimes known by the alias "St. Nick." Although Santa Claus is widely associated with the western world, the bishop's story begins in 4th century Myra, now the Mediterranean coast of Turkey.

St. Nicholas of Myra was a devout Christian who was known to believers as a miracle worker. There are countless stories about Nicholas performing miracles, saving lives, resurrecting the dead and giving to the needy. Nicholas inherited a large sum of money from his wealthy parents, and he used his fortune to secretly give gifts and money to the less fortunate. After his death, people in his region continued anonymously giving to the poor, and often these gifts were still attributed to St. Nicholas.

In one legend a once-wealthy man lost his fortune and was planning to give his daughters up to prostitution. He didn't have enough money to pay their marriage dowries, and therefore they would not be able to be married. Nicholas heard about the man's plan and provided the three girls with bags of gold to pay the dowries. One version says that he dropped one of the bags down the chimney to avoid being seen by the father.

This story was turned into a popular Dutch folk tale, where St. Nicholas was deemed "Sinterklaas." The word was mispronounced by settlers to New York in the 17th century, and so the name "Santa Claus" was born.

The American Santa

Americanizing Santa was an effort that involved two American writers, a political cartoonist and the world's most popular soft drink. These sources merged to form the Santa we see on greeting cards, in shopping malls, in movies and on TV.

1809- Washington Irving gave the first detailed description of Santa in his book History of New York. Irving depicts him flying above the trees in a horse-drawn wagon and dropping gifts down chimneys. Physically he is a jolly Dutchman in baggy pants and a broad-rimmed hat smoking a long-stemmed pipe.

1823- Clement Clarke Moore wrote the poem A Visit from Saint Nicholas, better known as The Night before Christmas. Moore added an arctic location by replacing Irving's horse with eight reindeer and his carriage with a sleigh. Although Moore creates Santa's signature laughs, winks and nods, Santa is still described as more elf-like than human.

1862- Thomas Nast used Moore's poem to illustrate a more human version of Santa for Harpers Weekly magazine. He gave Santa a home at the North Pole and dressed him in red. Santa was still had some elf qualities, and the magazine had limited circulation.

1931- Coke commissioned Haddon Sundblom to illustrate Santa for billboards and advertisements. Sundblom created a portly, grandfatherly figure with human proportions and a ruddy complexion. He used the signature red color of Coke's packaging for Santa's suit. This marketing tactic brought the modern version of Santa into the homes and hearts of Americans.

Fun Fact

1939- Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer was created when Robert L. May developed the story as an advertising promotion for Montgomery Ward. Millions of copies of the story were distributed. Later, the story was put to music and made into a TV special.

Santa & Christmas Around the World

Turkey
Up to 60 busloads of tourists flock to the Church of St. Nicholas in Demre, Turkey searching for the origin of Santa Claus. Although Turkey is now 99.8 percent Muslim, it still embraces St. Nicholas, the legend, the church and the tourism. Turkey even celebrates its own Christmas-like traditions, like New Years gift giving and a Turkish Santa, called Noel Baba or Father Christmas.

Germany
In Germany Ruprecht or Knecht Ruprecht travels with St. Nicholas. He goes down chimneys to leave children treats, and because of this his face is sooty. Ruprecht not only carries the sack of gifts, but he also carries a rod for disobedient children. When children are bad, parents will threaten them with "Just wait until Ruprecht comes!"

France, Luxembourg
Père Fouettard (or Housècker) travel through France and Luxembourg with St. Nicholas. He is a character from one of St. Nicholas' popular legends. In the story, an evil butcher slaughters children he lures into his shop. St. Nicholas resurrects the children, and in France and Luxembourg, Père Fouettard, the butcher, is condemned to follow St. Nicholas as punishment. His name means "Mr. Bogeyman," "spanking" or "switches."

Switzerland
St. Nicholas' helper in Switzerland is called Schmutzli. He dresses in all brown with brown hair and a brown beard, and his face is dark with soot. He carries a switch and a sack with him. Although he doesn't use them now, legend says he used to use the switch to beat naughty children, then carry them to the woods in his sack and gobble them up. For obvious reasons, parents no longer tell that story to their children.

Greece
In Greece dangerous and mischievous sprites or goblins called Kallikantzari prey on naughty children, the lazy and the drunk during the 12 days of Christmas. Descriptions vary but they usually wear iron or wooden boots or have hooves that they use to kick people. They are almost always male and can be seen in the forms of wolves or monkeys. Today Greece prefers Santa and his much friendlier elves to these sinister creatures.

Iceland
The children of Iceland have 13 Santas called the Yule Lads. They are troll-like creatures that were originally used to scare children. Translated, they have names like Spoon-licker, Door-slammer, Pot-licker, Sausage-pilfer, Peeper, Sniffer and Candle-begger. They are very mischievous and come one by one from Dec. 12 to Dec. 23. They are known to steal and make messes. Today they have toned down their behavior a bit and now they place gifts in children's shoes rather than playing tricks.

England
Instead of mailing their Christmas lists, English children toss them into the fireplace where Father Christmas can read the smoke as it rises up the chimney. The English are also responsible for the very popular Christmas custom of hanging stockings by the fire.

China
Christmas is not a public holiday in China, and only one percent the Chinese population is baptized Christian. However Chinese people, particularly in urban areas, decorate with Christmas trees, lights and other decorations. The children hang up muslin stockings and await the arrival of the Chinese Santa, Dun Che Lao Ren.

Austria
In Austria and other Eastern European areas, St. Nicholas is accompanied by Krampus, a furry devil-like creature with horns and a long red tongue. He is chained so he can't harm anyone and he is under the restraint of St. Nicholas.

Finland
Although it is a common belief that Santa lives in the North Pole, many countries and cultures believe that his true location is on the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland. There, Finns have built a Christmas-themed park, and Santa's Main Post Office receives hundreds of thousands of letters from over 150 countries around the world. Britain, Poland and Japan send the most letters.

References:

Online Stores' external links disclaimer.

"Chinese Christmas Celebrations" Chinese Cuisine 2006.

"Christmas in Greece" Greece for Visitors 2006.

"Christmas in Iceland" Iceland.org 2004.

"Christmas Traditions Around the World" Portharbor.com 2003.

"Montgomery Ward Shutting Down after 125 Years" Berkeley Daily Planet 29 Dec. 2000.

"Saint Nicholas" Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 2006.

"Santa Claus" Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2006.

"Santa Claus" Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 2006.

"Santa Claus, White Rock's Pre-dates Coca-Cola's" The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors 2003.

"Santa's Turkish Roots" Cultural Travels 03 Oct. 2003.

"The Santa Coke Deal" AlterNet 01 Jan. 2000.

"Who Travels with St. Nicholas?" St. Nicholas Center 2006.

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