Authors: Santas Richard Christie and Thurston James

Where did Santa Claus come from? Well, we could say that Santa is a direct descendent of Saint Nicholas, and that would be true enough, but it would be the simplest answer to a rather complex heritage. After eons of being conquered by Sweden and then Russia, Finland finally declared independence from Russia in 1917 and was established as a nation, however, the story of Santa Claus begins long before this.

No one knows exactly how or when, but as cultural influences from elsewhere
spread into Finland, the beast transformed into the smiling Santa Claus that now
meets children from around the world at his log cabin in Finland’s Arctic
Circle. “The history of Santa Claus is an interwoven cultural braid. Santa
Claus, like other cultural phenomena, is a reflection of its time,” says Ahti
Ahonen, regional Christmas coordinator in Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish
Lapland. Finland, Sweden and Norway were the home of Norse Vikings who
established trade ties with Russia, Scotland, Great Britain, Spain and Rome. The
Vikings carried with them the traditions and legends of Santa Claus. Many
Vikings settled in Scotland and Great Britain bringing their traditions with
them. This explains why so many Scottish names have Nordic origins.

Mithra & Saturnalia

Let’s begin this investigation of Santa’s lineage by going back to the first
century, to Persia and to Rome. No, Santa is not a Persian or Roman, but we find
roots of his ancestry in the early festivals that these folks celebrated during
the shortest days of the year, the winter solstice.

The Persians called their festival ‘Mithra.’ It was a post-harvest celebration
that took place in December, in the dead of winter. This birthday festival was
in honor of the sun, and it anticipated the sun’s impending return. The Romans
had a similar festival they called ‘Saturnalia.’ It was a seven-day celebration
lasting from December 17th to 24th. It also remembered the winter solstice, the
time of frost and snow and evergreens, of fires and candlelight indoors, and it
too took notice of the first sign of the lengthening of daylight hours. These
winter celebrations were marked by a time of decorating, feasting, drinking, and
gift giving. The public parties were carnival in nature, and for adults. The fun
consisted of turning the social order upside down. They involved games, dancing,
disorder, masquerade, irreverence, mockery, dares, and mischievous horseplay
between virtual strangers.

Yule-tide

The Celts and Teutons borrowed from the Romans, but they called their winter
festivals ‘Yuletide.’ The Saxons brought the Yule log to Brittany. Fire played a
vital role in their celebration. As the Yule log was set blazing, it had special
merit beyond the heat it provided. In these northern European countries it
commemorated the rebirth of the sun, the source of light, heat, and life.

Odin

To the north, in the countries of Finland, Sweden, and Norway, there was a very old white bearded gentleman who rode through the mid-winter skies on a horse. His name was Odin and his white horse was named ‘Sleiphir.’ We mention him now, not because he had anything to do with Saturnalia, but rather because he was a prominent figure who dominated the winter skies at this same time period in the very early days of the first century. Odin is considered to be a great-great-great grandfather to Santa Claus.

The Nativity

When Christ was born in Bethlehem these pagan festivals were deeply entrenched, and vastly popular. Saturnalia was eagerly celebrated throughout the Roman Empire and its extended territory. The leadership of the early Christian church, in their efforts to convert the world to Christianity, did their best to suppress the attention that these pagan gods of Saturn and the Sun were receiving, however, the festival activities had deep roots. Then as now, attempts at changing tradition encountered stiff resistance. So, rather than antagonize new converts by doing away with old customs, the church authorities thought it might be a good idea to give sacred meaning to the old observances. Bishop Julius I set December 25 as the date to celebrate the birth of Christ. Rather than eliminate the festival, Julius I changed its focus. In 353 AD the feast of the Nativity was first celebrated in Rome. The celebration, now a holy day, was slowly transformed from a public carnival and became centered on family worship and on the home. Children were warmly included.

Saint Nicholas

It was at this time in history that Saint Nicholas was born. He became bishop of Myra, Turkey while he was still a young boy. St. Nicholas performed miracles in the lives of children whom he had contacted. At first he worked with the poor and homeless children giving them gifts of food, clothing and blankets. Then he started orphanages to supply all of their physical needs. The tales of these miracles and the generous gifts to children have been passed on to us through oral tradition and have become legendary. The stories of his love and generosity were powerful enough that he became the patron saint of children. The tradition of Saint Nicholas as a gift giver was widespread. Families observed his feast day on December 6th, and the children began receiving gifts in his name. The happy news spread! Saint Nicholas replaced Odin as the rider of the horse.

The winter rider was still very old and still had a white beard, but was now
dressed in red bishop’s robe with miter, crosier and jeweled gloves as he went
about on his white horse. In Holland, Belgium, and Germany, the children were
told that the night before his feast day, Saint Nicholas would come looking for
good children and would reward them with presents of ginger cakes, candies,
apples, nuts, and small toys.

The stories of his generous gift giving were amplified as they spread
throughout Europe. Moving from country to country, the customs were altered to
fit the new home, and the name for Saint Nicholas was changed to fit their
language. Names like ‘Sinter Klaas,’ ‘Jule-nissen,’ ‘Sankt Nikolaus,’ ‘Sint
Nicolaas,’ ‘Santa Klaas,’ and ‘Pere Noel’ were formed. In some countries the
gifts were brought on Epiphany, the festival of the Three Kings, January 6th.

Knecht Ruprecht

In time, a terrible switch-wielding impish assistant was improvised for Saint
Nicholas, and he rode with him on his rounds. The gift-bringer now had a
two-sided character. He could read the heart and know the hidden thoughts and
actions of those he visited. He came not only to reward the good, but also to
punish the bad. In some countries this assistant was called ‘Pels Nichol’
(Nicholas with the fur) and in other places he was known as ‘Black Peter,’ or
‘Knecht Ruprecht.’ This small imp was a Moor from Spain, a sprite clad in animal
skin or straw with a dingy face, horns, a long red tongue, and fiery eyes. He
carried a heavy stick and displayed a black bag in which he might carry the bad
children away. Naughty children found switches in their shoes, and the food they
put out for the white horse was left untouched.

Befana

In Italy, another character was added to the Saint Nicholas family tree. It was
a very old woman by the name of Befana. She was a genial hag who searched the
world leaving candy and sweets for good children, and stones and coal for the
bad. A legend tells us of her history and how she met the Three Wise Men as they
were searching for the Bethlehem Christ child. They invited her to accompany
them in their quest, but she was too busy with her household duties. After they
left, she changed her mind and searched desperately for them, but it was too
late, they were well gone. Befana continues her search, hoping to fine the baby
Jesus, leaving presents wherever there are children.

Kriss Kringle

In Germany, after the reformation, the leaders of the Protestant Church considered Saint Nicholas to be a bit too Catholic for their tastes. Again, rather than eliminate the custom of the gift giver, a replacement was made. This time by a person known as Krist Kindlein, Das Christkindl, or the Christ Child. This character appeared as a young boy (or girl) dressed as an angel with white robe, golden wings, and a golden crown. ‘Kris Kringle’ is a name derived from Krist-Kindlein, or the infant Christ.

Santa Claus Comes to the New World

Santa’s Workshop

The Mayflower came to the new world in 1620, and Santa Claus was not far behind. When the Dutch settled New Amsterdam, now New York in 1630, they brought their version of Saint Nicholas to the new world. I’m very glad to report that ‘Black Peter’ failed to survive the trans-Atlantic journey. At about this time a cousin of Santa Claus made his way into the homes of England. His name was ‘Father Christmas.’ Santa was known as a man who loved to work with his hands. His workshop was legendary as he created so many handmade toys for children. He saw children in the streets with smudged faces and tattered clothes.

Nicholas knew they were orphans who lived in the streets. He knew that no one would be buying them a Christmas present this year, or any other year. Nicholas walked sadly in the gathering dark, remembering the look of longing on their dirty faces. One boy had longingly wished for a toy soldier. Suddenly, he stopped in the middle of the street. “That boy will have a toy soldier!” he exclaimed. “I’ll make it for him!”

Santa Grows and Develops

In 1823, ‘The Night Before Christmas,’ attributed to Clement Moore, was published in the New York Sentinel. It was immediately popular. Moore’s description of jolly old Saint Nick presented a new graphic image of what Santa was like. The bishop’s red robe gave way to a fur-trimmed suit; the erect saintly stature sagged to jolly rotundity. Santa is elf-like and he smokes a pipe. His white horse was replaced by eight reindeer (nine counting Rudolph,) and they pulled a sleigh. In 1863, Thomas Nast, the well-known cartoonist for Harper’s Illustrated Weekly, gave us a literal presentation of Santa Claus in the Christmas issue, 1863.

More recent developments

It’s possible that there will never be an ending to the evolution of Santa
Claus. We keep seeing minor changes. In the 1930s the Coca Cola Company
published ads of Santa drinking their product. These ads were very well
received, and our perception of Santa changed once again.

The ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ took away much of Santa’s elfin quality. He
became more human and it placed him in the department stores.

Since the world has seen Tim Allen’s movie, ‘The Santa Clause,’ there is no
question in anyone’s mind as to what Santa’s workshop at the North Pole looks
like. What can be next?

It’s true that Santa brings joy to the faces of the children as we chat with
them; however, the affection of the children and its reciprocal effect on Santa
is, in itself, its own reward.