Beneficial and compassionate Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a mythical figure who gives gifts in various cultures and distributes gifts to children, traditionally on December 24, Christmas Eve. The popular American form of Santa Claus originated as a mispronunciation of the Dutch Sinterklaas, which is a contracted form of Sint Nicolaas (Saint Nicholas).
Santa Claus is a beloved figure in many countries and predates the “Santa Claus” character. “Santa Claus” is similar in many ways, although the two have quite different origins. The use of ‘Santa’ in places that efficiently call him ‘Father Christmas’ is often seen as Americanism and is quite rare, although they are generally considered to be the same character. Father Christmas is also present instead of “Santa” in Albania (“Babadimri”), Armenia (“Gaghant Baba”), Denmark (“Julemanden”), Hungary (“Mikulás”), Italy (“Babbo Natale”), Lithuania (“Kalėdų Senelis”), Brazil (“Papai Noel”), Portugal (“Pai Natal”), Romania (“Moş Crăciun”), Russia (Ded Moroz), Germany (“Weihnachtsmann” or “Nikolaus”), Highlands from Scotland (“Daidaín na Nollaig”), France and French Canada (“Le Père Noël”), Ireland (“Daidí na Nollaig”), Finland (“Joulupukki”), Norway (“Julenissen”), Sweden (“Jultomten” ), Bulgaria (“Dyado Koleda”), Turkey (“Noel Baba”), Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina (“Deda Mraz”), Spanish-speaking Spain and Latin America (“Papá Noel”), Afghanistan (“Baba Chaghaloo” ), Iraq and South Africa (“Vader Kersfees”), Chile (Old Easter), Malta (“San Niklaw”), Egypt (“Papa Noël”), Iran (“Baba Noel”).
Santa Claus, the legendary bringer of Christmas gifts, is usually depicted as a fat, jovial man with a white beard, dressed in a red suit with white trim, and driving a sleigh full of toys pulled through the air by eight reindeer. Santa (also called Saint Nicholas and Saint Nicholas) is said to visit on Christmas Eve, entering homes through the chimney to leave presents under the Christmas tree and in the stockings of all the good children.
Historic Saint Nicholas was revered in early Christian legends for saving storm-tossed sailors, defending young children, and giving lavish gifts to the poor. Although many of the stories about Saint Nicholas are of doubtful authenticity, the legend of him spread throughout Europe, highlighting his role as a traditional bearer of gifts. The Christian figure of Saint Nicholas replaced or incorporated various pagan gift-giving figures such as the Roman Befana and the Germanic Berchta and Knecht Ruprecht.
In these countries, Nicholas was sometimes said to ride across the sky on horseback. He was depicted in the robes of a bishop and was said to be sometimes accompanied by Black Peter, an elf whose job it was to whip naughty children. Nicholas’s feast day, when gifts were received, was traditionally observed on December 6. After the Reformation, German Protestants encouraged the veneration of the (Baby Jesus) as a giver of gifts on their own feast day, December 25. When the Nicholas tradition prevailed, he stuck to Christmas itself.
The American version of the figure of Santa Claus received its inspiration and its name from the Dutch legend of Sinter Klaas, brought by settlers to New York in the 17th century. As early as 1773, the name appeared in the American press as St. A Claus, but it was the popular author Washington Irving who gave Americans the first detailed information about the Dutch version of St. Nicholas.
Fully detailed modern image of Santa Claus plays an important role in Christmas celebrations around the world. People are reminded of Santa Claus through advertising, greeting cards, decorations, and the annual appearance of Santas in department stores and shopping malls, in some cases accompanied by Mrs. Claus and Santa’s elves. The figure of Santa Claus appears in movies and songs such as Santa Claus Is Coming to Town and Here Comes Santa Claus. Children write letters to Santa Claus and serve him milk and cookies on Christmas Eve as a snack for Santa Claus.
Although most adults see Santa as the personification of a generous spirit, some argue that the modern image of Santa Claus conflicts with the true meaning of Christmas and promotes greed and commercialism. To reconcile the legend of Santa Claus with the religious significance of Christmas, some Christians emphasize that the modern figure is derived from legends about a saint who symbolized love, care, and generosity.