Santa Clause comes to us with a number of names. For some he is know as Saint Nicholas, and for others Father Christmas or quite merely Santa. While people interchange Santa and Father Christmas from an historic perspective they are two different persons.
It was Saint Nicholas of Myra, who lived within the 4th century in what’s now modern day Turkey, who gave birth to the modern day Santa Clause. As bishop he developed a fame for secret reward giving.
Within the Western custom the дед мороз заказ day of present giving is on the 25th December whereas within the Eastern custom the day for reward giving is New Years Day.
Most of us see Santa as a pleasant, pot bellied form of character who rides from house to house, by the sky, on a sleigh pulled by reindeer. It is attainable that the custom of ridding by way of the sky comes from a Germanic custom the place the god Wodam is seen using a flying horse by means of the sky. The horse has eight legs, the identical number of reindeer that Santa uses!
While Santa is portrayed as a jolly man giving out present to deserving youngsters he is also used to keep kids in check. Traditionally Irish children, and a large number of their European and American counterparts, hang up a stocking for their presents but are told that if they don’t seem to be good all 12 months spherical, they may receive a lump of coal as a substitute of an honest present.
In most traditions food or drink are neglected for him to assist him on his journey. In Eire it’s historically a bottle of Guinness, in America cookies and a glass of milk, in England he receives mince pies and sherry. No marvel then that he’s perceived as a happy pot bellied character!
How then did St. Nicholas make the transformation from a bishop to a jolly old man with red cheeks. The transformation did not occur abruptly however over a period of time and goes back before the American revolution to the time when the Dutch controlled what is now New York. When the Dutch arrived in America they took with them the legend of Saint Nicholas, at this stage he still dressed as a bishop.
In Washington Irving’s Historical past of New York, Sinterklaas was Americanised to “Santa Claus” however misplaced his bishop’s attire, and was at first pictured as a thick bellied Dutch sailor with a pipe in a green winter coat. Irving’s book was a lampoon of the Dutch tradition of New York, and far of this portrait is his joking invention.
Santa Clauses robes changed over the years till in 1885 the trendy costume was born. At around this time his horse was converted to reindeer and a sleigh, his slaves into elves and the date was moved forward to coincide with Christmas.
