2007-12-13 06:23:22 · 12 answers · asked by miss_kenge_lou 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Mythology & Folklore
Santa Claus and Xmas are both Pagan originally..
Saint Nicholas' Day
When the old Gods ruled the world, Odinn the All-father rode the skies of Germania and Scandinavia in winter with a crowd of elves and spirits; those mortals who offered him reverence were rewarded with gifts.. In later years, Odinn's horse, elves and gifts became the accouterments of a Christian saint named Nicholas..
Nicholas lived in Asia Minor..Because he calmed the storms at sea during his life, he became the patron of sailors; and because he restored to life three murdered youths, he became the patron for boys..But the most famous tale concerning him was that of three maidens whose imppoverished father planned to sell them into slavery.. Nicholas redeemed them with three bags of dowry gold, which he flung through their windows one night and which landed on their shoes, set to warm before the fire..For this deed, he became the patron of maidens, and Frenchwomen prayed to him for husbands..
He also became the patron of pawnbrokers, and his bags of gold are remembered in the three golden balls that are the sign of the trade..
But gift-giving was his most important act..In Germany and Holland, children set out their shoes on the eve of his feast day, filling them with hay and carrots for his white horse, just as provender had been left for Odinn's horse by their ancestors.. Nicholas, they knew, would ride over the rooftops in the night with his elvish companion Knecht Ruprecht.. Ruprecht carried a switch for use on naughty young ones.. But Nicholas carried baskets of toys and sweets, to be left in the shoes of all good children...
That is the origin of Santa, and the red suit he wears has only been around since about the 1930's when he was part of a huge Coke campaign..
Blessings.. )O(
2007-12-13 10:01:40 · answer #1 · answered by Bunge 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, or simply "Santa" is a legendary and mythological figure who, in some cultures, is presented as bringing gifts on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. or on his feast day, December 6. The legend may have its basis in hagiographical tales concerning the historical figure of Saint Nicholas.
The popular North American form Santa Claus is derived from the Dutch Sinterklaas, which in turn is a contracted form of Sint Nicolaas (Saint Nicholas). However, the Dutch Sinterklaas is depicted as being very different from Santa Claus in many ways. Santa Claus has a suit that comes in many colors depending on the country[citation needed]. The most common depiction (red with white cuffs, collar, and black leather belt) became the more popular image in the United States in the 19th century due to the significant influence of Thomas Nast. In the mid-20th Century a series of Coca-Cola advertisements featuring a Santa Claus drawn rotund and jovial by artist Haddon Sundblom popularized Nast's depiction.
Santa Claus is also my mom's name, lol. For real, just pronounced differently, like Saunta, Close. She's been mocked her entire like lol. My grandparents are foreign and weren't even aware of the tradition.
2007-12-13 06:34:16 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Santa has been a crucial part of children's lives all over the world for many years. Also known as Kris Kringle, Papa Noel, and many others. In America we take the name from the Dutch Sinterklaas which is Saint Nicholas in Dutch. Saint Nicholas was a 4th century Bishop in Myra, Lycia. He was well known for his generosity to all. Many of the embellishes of him are of Pagan origin, Odin was known to fill Norse kids boots with gifts they left near the hearth. The Eight reindeer represent the 8 pagan holidays. The Yearly ride descends from the custom of the god dying to be reborn taking all the souls of the dead to the afterlife on what was known as "the Great Hunt" or Great Ride. The god is known as the Holly King at this point which is why Holly is a seasonal plant dedicated to Christmas time.
2007-12-13 06:45:55 · answer #3 · answered by Masked Bottle 2 · 5⤊ 1⤋
Santa Claus is one of many names given to St. Nicholas, bisshop of Myra, patron saint of children and merchant sailors (and in modern days, toy makers!).
In the most known story about him in the English-speaking world, he lives on the North Pole with a bunch of elves making toys which he distributes the night before Christmas to the children who've been good, with the help of his flying reindeer pulling the sleigh.
In Belgium and the Netherlands, we have an other story. Sinterklaas (our own children's speak for St. Nicholas) is dressed in bisshop robes and a hat I don't know the exact name of. He lives somewhere in Spain with Zwarte Piet ("Black Pete" - according to the original legend a black slave freed by St. Nick, but nowadays people just say the black is the soot from the chimney). He visits children in the week before his birthday (Dec. 6th) if they leave out a shoe with some food for his horse and a nice drawing.
There are a lot of legends connected to the figure St. Nicholas, too many to list here, so if you're interested, try this site: http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=50 - it holds a few of the stories that started the legend of Santa Claus.
Merry Christmas!
2007-12-13 06:45:12 · answer #4 · answered by slashgirl_1984 5 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Saint Nicholas of Myra is the primary inspiration for the Christian figure of Santa Claus. He was a 4th century Christian bishop of Myra in Lycia, a province of the Byzantine Anatolia, now in Turkey. Nicholas was famous for his generous gifts to the poor, in particular presenting the three impoverished daughters of a pious Christian with dowries so that they would not have to become prostitutes. He was very religious from an early age and devoted his life entirely to Christianity.
2007-12-13 12:13:15 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
His other names are St. Nicolas, Father Christmas, and Chris Cringle.
2007-12-13 07:00:21 · answer #6 · answered by fantasywriter2025 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
a Nobel and generous man named Cris crinkle
2007-12-13 07:08:00 · answer #7 · answered by irish_matt 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
he is a bloke with a rosy cheeks and when he laughs his belly is like a bowlful of jelly.and he brings presents!!!!!!!!
2007-12-13 06:37:25 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
yo mama
2007-12-13 06:44:55 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
bruce wayne, or maybe brad pitt
2007-12-13 08:26:00 · answer #10 · answered by Gotter 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋