The Origin of Christmas: Part 2

by Tanya Davis

Where does Santa fit in?
Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, and Pere Noelle have many varied roots. Nicholas was a young man born in Turkey who grew up to become a bishop. He served the church for his entire life, fasting every Wednesday and Friday. There are numerous legends about his kindness, his miracles, and his incredible devotion to God. Stories of St. Nicholas’ generosity grew and eventually St. Nicholas was crowned the patron saint of Russia. He played a large role in the expansion of Christianity.

December 6 is the anniversary of Saint Nicholas’ death and was originally celebrated as St. Nicholas day. However, it has since been fused with “Christ’s mass” or Christmas.

Because Nicholas was associated with much gift-giving, many cultures held that on the Eve of the Feast of St. Nicholas, the saint would come down from heaven and give gifts to children who had been good. He would wear ecclesiastical garments and ride a flying horse or donkey; sometimes the legend included a partner, Black Peter, who would punish children who had been bad.

This story seems to have been mingled with the Teutonic god of the air, Odin, who also rode through the air in the Autumn on a flying horse. Odin had Nicholas’ long beard, and children left grain in the field for his horse, just as straw was left in children’s shoes for Nicholas. Also, the Germanic god of thunder, Thor, who had a long white beard, dressed in red, and rode through the air in a chariot, may have become mixed in with the Nicholas legends. Thor had a place in the northland and he came down the chimney once a year. After the Reformation of the sixteenth century, the Feast of St. Nicholas was largely abolished in favor of Christ’s Mass, but the legends are carried on in many cultures, for example, among the Dutch.

Santa in America
Being founded as a Puritanical nation, the United States did not have anything to do with saints or celebrations of Christmas. An author named Washington Irving is credited with bringing the story of St. Nicholas to Americans in the early 1800s. By that time, the Dutch had already brought over their tradition of St. Nicholas, “Sinter Klaas”, who visited on December 5. When the English took over the colony, English children wanted to have their own Sinter Klaas who would bring gifts. But English Protestants did not celebrate Saints’ Days, so they moved the visit to what is now Christmas Eve and mixed it with Christ’s Mass.

So, legends of St. Nicholas were becoming rather localized when Irving wrote his satirical Diedrich Knickerbocker’s History of New York, from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty. His story depicted Christmas customs that may have reminded the British of their traditions back home.

John Pintard followed Irving’s popular story with the introduction of Saint Nicholas and many customs of celebration – some of which never even existed before! He and Irving wished for the old days of wassailing and joy around the Christmas season. Pintard created a Historical Society and introduced St. Nicholas as its patron saint; he also helped to establish national holidays like Columbus Day, the Fourth of July, and George Washington’s birthday.

On the heels of Irving and Pintard’s work, an Episcopal minister named Clement Moore wrote a poem for his family. Titled “A Visit from Saint Nicholas,” the poem would later become famous as “The Night Before Christmas.” Inspired by the Feast of Saint Nicholas, the poem depicted Santa Clause as a fat, jolly person with multiple reindeer and a penchant for sliding down chimneys with a sack full of toys. This Saint Nicholas never brought along a devil or Black Peter to punish the children – in fact, he was loving and benevolent, more like a father figure than a saint.

By the time a cartoonist, Thomas Nast, created his Christmas drawings for Harper’s Weekly in the late 1800s, Santa Claus was part of our heritage. Nast drew Santa many different ways; his childhood included the gnome-like Pelz-Nicol, and the wealthy class around him contributed a rotundness to the image. In 1923, the picture of an American Santa underwent another change when Coca-Cola’s artist sketched him drinking soda while wearing a red and white overcoat, matching cap, and black boots. One thing Santa has retained is the image of generosity, magic, and love.

Whichever form of Christmas you choose to celebrate, it is a holiday full of joy and sharing. Traditions and family celebrations give the holiday an almost magical quality, whether yours is filled with Santa or Christ. Be sure to check out our holiday articles for tons of recipes, decorating ideas, and new traditions.