Waking up on New Year's or Christmas morning, the kids of the whole world first rush to the decorated Christmas tree or holiday socks, hung by the fireplace, in order to find presents there with a joyful screech …
What does Santa Claus look like, what country does he live in, does he have a family? These questions concern not only children, but also adults, who wholeheartedly want to continue to believe in a beautiful New Year's fairy tale.
Who actually was St. Nicholas
It is interesting to know that the prototype of the present Santa Claus was a real historical character. Saint Nicholas, nicknamed Mirlikijsky, was actually a Christian bishop from the city of Mira in Lycia (modern Turkey). He lived in the IV century and became famous for charity and good deeds.
There are many legends about him. So, having learned that one of the inhabitants of the city was so impoverished that he was going to sell his three daughters to a brothel, St. Nicholas secretly threw three bags full of gold into the window of this man’s house at night. According to another belief, he miraculously revived the three children killed and imprisoned in a barrel. Therefore, he is considered the protector of babies, the patron of the lost and innocent, and also protects travelers and sailors in the wanderings.
In Russia, this saint is also very revered. He is called the Pleasant, or Miracle Worker.
Appearance of St. Nicholas
Having studied the relics of St. Nicholas with the permission of the Vatican, British scientists using computer technology recreated the appearance of this saint. Thanks to them, it became reliably known how the "Santa Claus", which actually existed, looks like.
Saint Nicholas was not tall - 168 centimeters, had olive skin, a short gray beard, dark brown eyes and a broken nose. There are not many similarities with the modern fairy-tale hero who brings Christmas gifts …
Why does Santa Claus bring presents on Christmas?
Santa Claus became a Christmas character far from immediately. Initially, in Europe, gifts were given to children on December 6, on the day of St. Nicholas. However, during the Reformation period, this tradition underwent changes. The infant Christ was considered to be the character giving children, and the holiday, when this happened, was postponed to the eve of Catholic Christmas.
After the victory of the Counter-Reformation, St. Nicholas again began to bring gifts to the children, but still at Christmas, in late December. Although, for example, in the Netherlands this saint (here his name is Sinterklaas), sometimes pleases kids with surprises for both holidays.
The story of Santa Claus in America
The English Puritans, the first to explore the North American continent, did not celebrate the Christmas holidays at all. The history of Santa Claus on these lands dates back to the middle of the 17th century, when the Dutch colonists founded the settlement New Amsterdam (which later became New York).
In the early 19th century, the American writer Washington Irving wrote The History of New York, in which he mentioned the custom of honoring St. Nicholas in New Amsterdam. To develop this theme, 14 years later, the book "The Night Before Christmas, or The Visit of St. Nicholas" was released from Clement Moore's pen. In it, he first described what Santa Claus looks like, how he drives around the sky on a reindeer sleigh, and what happens when he visits Christmas Eve with gifts.
This poem significantly influenced the idea of Santa Claus throughout the English-speaking world. And today, she is one of America's most beloved Christmas tales.
Since that time, the image of the character giving gifts to children finally ceased to be associated with the saint.
What does Santa Claus look like?
In the work of Clement Moore, Santa Claus appears in the image of a cheerful elf with a thick belly, smoking a pipe and loving to eat. Cartoonist Thomas Nast was the first to fulfill the desire of adults and children to find out what this fabulous hero looks like. For twenty-four years, he portrayed Santa Claus on the Christmas cover of the weekly Harpers Weekly, which was very popular. However, Santa Claus performed by Nast was black and white, although the fur coat, wide belt, headdress, and sparkling boots were almost the same as we used to see them now.
At the end of the 19th century, the publisher Louis Prang painted the fur coat of fairy-tale grandfather red, who was the first in America to issue colored lithographic cards for Christmas.
In 1930, the American company Coca-Cola, desiring that their drinks be equally popular in both winter and summer, included Santa Claus in its advertising campaign. The work was assigned to the Chicago artist Haddon Sandblom. For thirty years, he created the images of the "Christmas grandfather" who brings gifts to children. The prototype of Santa Claus, known today around the world, was the friend and neighbor of the artist, Lou Prentis.
Images where Santa Claus no longer looked like an elf, but a kind smiling giant, came to the liking of people. Rudolph was also well received - the artist invented a new, ninth deer in Santa's harness.
Does Santa Claus have a family?
You can often hear a question that haunts many: "Does the Santa Claus family exist, or does the" Christmas grandfather "live alone?"
The answer is covered in a veil of secrecy. According to the classical Catholic tradition, the “historical” Santa Claus, that is, St. Nicholas, was a clergyman, that is, he definitely had no family. But as for the current fairy-tale character, it does not at all exclude the possibility that he may well be in a happy marriage.
According to some sources, for the first time information about Mrs. Klaus appeared on the pages of the American magazine "Harper" in 1881. According to another version, eight years later, this lady was invented by the writer Katherine Lee Bates, who dedicated a funny song to her.
One way or another, but, according to the most common version, the wife of Santa Claus is an ordinary human woman. Her "fabulous age" is about sixty years old. Mrs. Klaus's real name is unknown to anyone - some sources call her Goody, others - Wilhelmina, others - Jessica … She is chubby, funny and very sociable, wears a red dress almost all the time, because she loves this color, puts on glasses, and also turns gray hair hair in a bun at the back of the head. She often bakes delicious buns and loves to watch how the elves - Santa Claus' loyal helpers - make toys for children's gifts. It is said that once, when Santa Claus became very ill just before the Christmas holidays, Mrs. Klaus put on his fur coat, put on an artificial beard and went to deliver gifts for the little ones herself.
Where does Santa Claus live?
The cold "country of Santa Claus" - Lapland, the kingdom of eternal snow and ice - is actually the northern province of Finland. However, the residence of the "Christmas grandfather" there actually exists! It is located in the provincial capital - Rovaniemi.
The kind gray-bearded gentleman in red welcomes guests here all year round. From the central post office of Santa Claus you can send a postcard to any corner of the world. And the dreams of adults and children about the holiday come to life in the fabulous Santa Park and the Christmas village.
Santa Claus and Santa Claus
The image of Santa Claus, so popular in television shows and advertising, does not leave our screens and store windows in December-January days. Often, children simply identify Santa Claus with the original Slavic Grandfather Frost. However, in addition to the fact that both of these fabulous characters bring presents to the kids during the winter holidays, they don’t have much in common as it might seem at first glance.
So what is the difference between Santa Claus and Santa Claus? First of all, the fact that the latter has nothing to do with St. Nicholas. The history of our Santa Claus goes back to the folklore of the Eastern Slavs. There he is represented in the image of a fabulous hero, a giant, fettling the river and lake with frost and ice.
Over time, the image of Frost changed. From a formidable, harsh character, he gradually turned into a kind and fair Grandfather, who presented children with gifts. The company is traditionally made up by his granddaughter, a sweet and beloved Snow Maiden.
