Father Christmas 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, and those with pagan origin Origins of Santas 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. Santa suits generally consist of a red and white hat, coat and fur trimmed trousers with a black belt, black boots, ang long white beard. • 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. Moores 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 Winters festivity must contribute. • Cap: Probably from the bishops 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. • 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, hes 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 Niño Jesus, brings gifts for children. • In Costa Rica, Colombia, and parts of Mexico, the gift bearer is el Niño Jesus, “the infant Jesus.” In Brazil and Peru, hes called Papai 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. • 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 Claus is called Santa Claus 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. • Pã 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 is much thinner than the American Santa Claus. He rides a white horse and gets help from numerous Zwarte Pieten (Black Petes) handing out gifts and candy. He arrives the first Saturday in November by Boat. In the evenings, Dutch Children sing songs in front of the fire place or in the living room and leave their shoe with a present (drawing for Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet or a Carrot for Amerigo Sinterklaas horse) In the mornings they will find their shoe filled with candy and small presents. On the 5th of December Dutch households have a “Pakjesavond” (Presents night) and exchange presents. • 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”
Posted on: Mon, 22 Dec 2014 10:54:26 +0000
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