The Secret Santa
by Diablog
"Ho! Ho! Ho!" is a familiar refrain to many people around the world during the Christmas period.
To many people around the world, Santa Claus is seen as a father figure that offers gifts and presents to children on Christmas Day. If you ask any young child who Santa Claus is, you are likely to hear "the man that gives us presents". So who is Santa Claus? What is so amazing about the white hair, white beard, rotund man that can be seen wearing a red uniform riding on his sleigh with reindeer?
The myth of Santa Claus begins with the story of Saint Nicholas almost 1700 years ago (ca. A.D. 300-350). Saint Nicholas was bishop of a town called Myra, located in what is now Southern Turkey. Although there isn't much information about the real Saint Nicholas the name 'Nicholas' in Greek means, "people's victor" (Nikos + Laos).
Throughout the centuries, stories about the life of Nicholas have been told. He was known for his reputation as a people's champion, and one of the many great things he did, was to save three wrongly accused innocent men from their death sentences by intercepting it just seconds before their death. But one of the most significant stories about him that connects him with today's Santa Claus was the tradition of giving gifts anonymously. In those days, young women without doweries could not have married, and thus ran into the risk of being sold into slavery. Saint Nicholas dropped bags of gold down the chimney of the family's home, so the daughters could escape a life of servitude. And the rest is history.
Why the name 'Santa Claus'? And what is the link with Saint Nicholas? Well for a start, Santa Claus is an anglicized form of the Dutch, Sinterklass (a slang version of Sint Nikolass). After the English took over New Amsterdam and changed the city's name to what we now know as New York, the slang Sinterklass became Santa Claus. However, Santa himself is actually an amalgamation of several older traditions. There are many stories about the origins of Santa Claus, for example in the Dutch tradition, on the eve of his feast day, Saint Nicholas would visit the homes of children. Treats of apples and sweets would be left as rewards for studying the catechism (religious studies).
Stories about Santa Claus change from country to country. Germany has Martin Luther's story of Christkindlein, the British have their Father Christmas, the French Père Noël, the Danish Jules-Missen and the Romanian Mos Craicun.
However, the Santa popular today is uniquely North American, thanks to Clement Moore's poem, A Visit From Saint Nicholas (known by its first line, "Twas the night before Christmas), and Thomas Nast's drawings that appeared first in Harper's Weekly during the 1880's. These two men greatly contributed to the fantasies and imagery of today's Santa Claus in his red fur-lined coat and sack full of gifts.
It is through the advertising media that Santa Claus became a cultural mythology amongst us, as it plays a huge role in changing and refining Santa Claus images. Various countries fight over the tourist trade that is gained at this time of year from being the 'home' of Santa Claus, so he can be thought of as originating from either Lapland or Greenland - depending on what advertising material you read. Others may even associate Santa Claus with the popular drink, Coca-Cola, because of its constant usage of Santa Claus pictures in its product's packaging.
To some, Santa Claus represents the true spirit of Christmas - giving without expecting any return. Today's mythology represents Santa Claus as a generous Father figure with reindeer, sleigh, stockings stuffed with gifts and secret trips down millions of chimneys. These are great images that have added to the lore and excitement of many children's Christmas.
Whatever the representations of Christmas and Santa Claus to you, to me it is a time of joy, comfort and the gathering of friends and loved ones to share meals and exchange gifts.
Here's wishing all the DALnetizen readers, a merry Christmas.
©Diablog 2002
