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THE ORIGINS OF SANTA CLAUS

Around the world – in a preponderance of countries and cultures – Santa Claus, or Saint Nicholas, Papa Noel, Father Christmas - whatever he may be called – is preparing his annual comeback.

          Santa Claus first came to America with the Dutch when those immigrants came into New Amsterdam (now New York) hundreds of years ago.

America’s version of Santa gives rise to the current myth in its visual form and all of its curious tradition of a jolly old man in red and white clothes.  Our Santa has eight tiny reindeer (Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen) but is later joined by Rudolph, the Red Nose Reindeer as an aid to lighting the way for Santa’s sleigh.

          Our traditional beliefs tell us that Santa’s home is in the fictional North Pole, and that he traverses the hemispheres one evening each year distributing socks or stockings filled with presents.  Santa most often enters homes through chimneys, but children without fireplaces need not fear; for Santa gains entry to the homes of all of those good girls and boys.

          The most important single source for what modern day readers know of Santa comes from the Christmas Poem “Twas the Night Before Christmas” written by Clement C. Moore, which he wrote for his own children in 1823.  When the Moore family released the poem for the world to share, they included the now famous portrait of Santa painted by Thomas Nast.

          Belief in Santa Claus has been referred to as a cult, because it incorporates clashes of cultures and traditions:

          Christian and Pagan, Old Catholic, Scandinavian, Dutch, German and English.  However, through it all, the tradition of Santa Claus seems to engender positive messages of giving generously of both goods and good will.

In Western and Eastern Christian Churches, the notion of Santa Claus gives rise to the legend of the Patron Saint of Giving known as Saint Nicholas.  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-ever council of Nicaea in 325, so published reports of a Patron Saint of Giving go back millenniums.

            In some Scandinavian countries, the term “Joulupukki,” (meaning “Yule Buck”) endures.  This Old Pagan tradition remained strong in Finland for centuries, though now the celebration has become similar to the Santa Claus in America.  Pagans used to hold festivals to ward off evil spirits.  In Finland, these spirits of darkness wore goatskins and horns.  In the beginning, this creature didn’t give away presents – he demanded them!  The Christmas Goat was an ugly creature and frightened children. 

            It’s unclear how this personality came to be transformed into the modern day benevolent “Father Christmas.”  However, the process is probably a continuous amalgamation of many old folk customs and beliefs from various sources.  One can speak of Christmas pageant traditions replete with many personages with roles that were partly Christian, partly Pagan.  One of the most prevailing was a white-bearded saint, the Devil, demons, house gnomes and the like, which was intended to scare people into being good.

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, a man with an even longer beard and coat than the Americanized Santa Claus.

In Japan, Santa Claus is most often referred to as Santa no Ojisan (Uncle Santa).

In France, he is known as Pere Noel.

The Dutch call him Sint Klaas, a man who rides a white horse and leaves gifts in wooden shoes.

In the Netherlands, he is called Kerstman.

In Norway, the children look for an appearance by Pà Norsk on December 24.

In Italy, children watch for Babbo Natale, Father Christmas, to put something into their waiting shoes the day before Epiphany.  Epiphany is known as Little Christmas and is a national day of gift giving in Italy, Spain, Portugal and Latin America.

In Finland, he is called Joulupukki.

In Russia, he is called Ded Moros or Grandfather Frost.

In Germany, he is called Christind, the Christ Child.

He is also known in German as Kris Kringle.

In the Middle Ages, throughout the region of old and present-day Turkey, Nicholas of Myra’s fame spread rapidly.  In cities and in the countryside, Nicholas of Myra is the patron saint of both Russia and of Greece, of sailors, prisoners, bakers, pawnbrokers, shopkeeps and children.

          Nicholas’s gift-giving role in Christmas probably follows from his fame as the friend of children.  Nicholas also had a reputation of giving anonymous donations of gold coins to people in need.  This cult custom spread throughout Europe and Christmas presents came to be distributed on December 6^th when the celebrations of St. Nicholas took place.  In many countries, this day is still the day of Christmas gift giving, although there is mounting pressure everywhere to align the custom to December 24/25.

The relics of St. Nicholas are in the basilica of St. Nicola, in Bari, Italy (having been stolen from Myra in 1087 AD).  For this reason, St. Nicholas is sometimes known as St. Nicholas of Bari.

In Spain, children leave their shoes under the Christmas tree the night of January 5 waiting for an appearance from the Three Kings (Los Reyes Magos:  Melchor, Gaspar and Baltasar).  The custom in these Catholic, romance language countries is to have religious service on December 25, but to reserve December 24 for Papa Noel and January 6 for children to receive gifts from the Three Kings.

In Puerto Rico, the part of holiday that has not become totally Americanized by Christmas trees and Santa Claus, sees children still receiving gifts from the Three Kings

on January 6.  This is accomplished by leaving grass under their beds at night for the camels, which is replaced by gifts and sweet treats the next morning.

          In Costa Rica, Colombia, Mexico and in most Latin American nations, the gift bearer is known as Nino Jesus the infant Jesus.  In Brazil and in Peru, children await anxiously for the appearance of Papa Noel.

          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 into two groups:  Those with traditional religious significances and those of pagan origin.

Origins for Santa’s funny traditions and customs are traced to the following:

          Gifts reportedly are traced back to St. Nicholas and the Magi (the three wise men from the Orient).

          Santa’s beard is traced back all the way to the origin of St. Nicholas, where most men of that day were bearded.

Santa’s costume is most likely traced to the cloak of St. Nicholas and also the three Magi.  But, the modern-day fur-lined coat and hat were probably created to fit the Americanized North Pole Santa.  Santa’s use of a stocking and coming through the chimney most likely originate from Clement C. Moore’s poem.  Santa’s cap is likely from the Bishop’s Mitre of St. Nicholas.  The Mitre’s headgear most resembles the headgear of old Magi.  Persian priests, known as Mages, are the only other present givers.  The Phrygian headgear of the French Revolution most likely had an influence, as well.

But it has been writers who have been the most instrumental in designing the look of Christmas over time and around the globe.  Clement C. Moore’s poem “Twas the Night Before Christmas” is an enduring triumph to the joy of the season, while Thomas Nast, a well-known and respected painter, found his inspiration to paint a better portrait of Santa Claus from Moore’s poem.  Thomas Nast a real, historial newspaper artist, was the very first person to paint a definitive portrait of our present day Santa Claus in 1870.

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