Welcome back, everyone! I enjoyed doing the Nerd Out series for Halloween, so I thought I would do one on the jolly man in red, Santa. Kids all over the world know who Santa is and expect him to leave them gifts every Christmas Eve. He perfectly represents the spirit of the season and is worthy of emulation. There are several different sources from which today’s Santa hails. Still, you can see the commonality between them all. I am eager to get into it, so let’s go!
Santa
Definition: A Western Christian figure who has elves and brings toys and treats to children around the globe on the night of December 24th in celebration of Christmas.
Santa is described as a rotund, jolly man with a white beard and a smiling face. He dresses in a fur-lined red suit and hat and has nine reindeer that pull his sled. He has two lists, one of “good” children and one of “naughty” children. He brings gifts to the children on his good list and coal to the naughty ones.
Found in: Today, he is found all over the world, but his overall makeup is taken from cultures worldwide. Santa himself is an American Christian figure. His current incarnation in the Americas started with Washington Irving’s description in his writing, History of New York.
Kris Kringle
Definition: Another form of Santa Claus
Kris Kringle is one of the figures that helped make up the Santa we know and love today. His origins can be traced back to Germany, where his name started as Christkindl, which translates to Christ child. He is a kind, jolly man who brings gifts to children one Christmas. He has blonde hair and angel wings and is said to be the Christ child bringing gifts. Children who sought to peep him or actually did forfeit gifts. He is the reason we hang stockings by the fireplace.
Found in: Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and more.
St. Nick
Definition: A Greek Catholic bishop who is the patron saint of children
Saint Nick, or Saint Nicholas, is another figure who makes up Santa. St. Nick is a gift giver today just as the bishop was in life, though the bishop gave his gifts in secret. He was also known as Nicholas the Wonderworker because of the miracles he performed in life. He was usually in red clerical clothes, carrying scriptures in one hand and making the sign of the cross with the others.
Found in: He started in Greece because that is where he lived, Myra, in fact. His feast days, December 5th and 6th, are still celebrated in Bulgaria, Belgium, the Netherlands, and the surrounding areas.
Woden/Odin
Definition: Odin, also known as Woden in Germanic countries, is a god in Norse mythology and other countries.
Odin is the Norse god of magick, war, and wisdom, among other dominions, and is the ruler of the gods of Asgard. He has a long white beard and carries a staff. He doesn’t wear a red suit, favoring travelers’ clothes, a cloak, and a wide-brimmed hat, but he does travel quite a lot. In that area of the world, at one point, didn’t/don’t celebrate Christmas. They celebrate(d) Yule. While Odin did not travel on the eve of Yule to give gifts to children, he did give unique gifts to those he found worthy. So much so that he was known by the epitaph Oski, which translates to wish granter. Later, stories are told that he donned a blue hooded robe lined with fur and rode Sleipnir to bring gifts to those he found worthy and punished those he felt deserved it.
Found in: Scandinavian and Germanic countries
Father Christmas
Definition: The personification of Christmas and another name for Santa Claus
Father Christmas is a kind old man with a long, white, flowy beard. Instead of wearing a red suit, he wears a red-sleeved gown with a hood that is trimmed in white fur. He is seen carrying a sack filled with gifts for children. His origins are pagan in nature, as he was celebrated at the winter solstice as the herald of spring. He is also called the Holly King because he wore ivy, holly, and mistletoe, as well as the Winter King. As the Winter King, he was welcomed into a home and was served food and drink by his hosts. They believed that if you showed him hospitality and kindness, he would give you a mild winter. Father Christmas, much like Santa, is an amalgamation of many cultures.
Found in: He started in Britain and grew from there to worldwide.
As you can see, some common aspects of the Santa characters exist. He is kind, often jolly, and gives gifts to deserving children. A white beard and a robe that is lined with fur are typical, too. And red. There is a lot of red. That being said, we can see all these characteristics in the modern Santa. Today’s Santa has taken their best traits and exudes them lovingly.
In talking about Santa and his circle, Krampus is often brought up, so let’s look at him. A common thread with all the different sides of Santa is that the well-behaved children were rewarded with gifts, and the children who misbehaved were not. Krampus, the horned half-goat being, is who the naughty children had to face. On Yule night, Krampus would collect the naughty children from their beds and take them to his home, and some say that is Hell. Krampus’s origins are in the Austrian Alpine Region, where he is and was celebrated during the winter solstice, known in some areas as Yule. He is well known in the Germanic and Scandinavian countries. He is still a part of Christmas celebrations in some regions of the world.
What did you think of all these Santas? Did I miss any Santa adjacent persons that you think of? Let me know in the comments below. Until next time, have fun storming the castle and Merry Yule!
