Friday, December 10, 2010

TWO CENTURIES OF SANTAS

Photo by Teri Mahl 2009


"Born, so they say, as a god and translated into bishop then patron saint, the jolly old elf we know as Santa Claus has survived multiple personalities in his long career as gift-giver emeritus. He has his own saint's day, December 6, which was derived from the feast sponsored in his honor by Greeks and Romans to whom he was embodied in the form of Poseidon, god of the sea. The Nicholas of St. Nick was transplanted from Asia Minor to Europe, and there he assumed a variety of guises, dispensing his gifts on his own day, on Christmas Eve, on New Year's , or, emulating the Wise Men, on Epiphany, January 6. To Americans during the colonial era, gift-giving was considered extravagant and a sin; there was no Santa back then. It was the famous poem written by Clement C. Moore--The Night Before Christmas--and cartoon by Thomas Nast that crystallized the image of Santa Claus we love today. His name, extrapolated from the Dutch Sinterklass, stuck to the chubby septuagenarian, and collections of Santas are based upon this benevolent bearded fellow bearing gifts."


(Taken from Country Living Country Christmas Copyright 1990 The Hearst Corporation Page 110)







6 comments:

  1. Very interesting. I didn't know most of this. Hard to imagine a Christmas without Santa. The early Colonialist must have been a wretched lot.

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  2. Oh I loved that Santa could make it right
    I am a sap for Christmas stories with happy endings
    Growing up Lutheran..Santa took a backseat
    but he was there...beard and all..and of course presents...but first Church and the nativity pageant
    this was a nice post

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  3. I really like the look of your blog, Teri. It feels very warm. I also enjoyed the snippet about Santa. It's funny to think about how he has evolved to become so timeless.

    Anyway, I am very happy that you found me and Who's Your Editor? I look forward to see more of you there and here. :)

    AubrieAnne

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  4. Rumour has it that the first red and white santa came from a coca cola add.

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  5. It doesn't matter how old he is or how his name has changed in time. Santa will be allways our and we will love him because he brings us the joy of childhood. He is not a religious symbol but a mixture of fir-tree smell, of cookies just took out from the oven, grandparents' voice, presents in colourful papers,a feast of eyes and soul Nobody can take our Santa from us!

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  6. Well... I hope Santa will come this year too, bringing hope and joy!
    My best regards from Romania!

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