The Legend
Far up in the polar regions, amid the ice and snow, lives Santa Claus in a great house of many rooms crammed with things that will delight the hearts of children. He and his assistants are very busy during most of the year in his workshop, making nice toys for good little children all over the world. He sees, hears and knows all that the children do and say. He keeps a 'Book of Remembrance,' in which he records all their words and actions. As one popular song puts it, 'He sees you when you're sleeping, and he knows you when you're awake.'
"On Christmas eve Santa Claus comes down secretly from the sky in a sleigh, carrying a huge bag filled with many delightful gifts. His sleigh is drawn by swift reindeers that 'fly upon the wings of the wind' and 'ride upon the clouds.' Only those who wait and watch can ever see him. When he comes he brings gifts as rewards to all, good little children, so you must be good and obey your parents if you want Santa Claus to bring you something real nice."Thus goes the charming and harmless legend of Santa, the great friend and benefactor of every good child, an innocent fantasy, having a certain value in teaching small children to be obedient
History
In looking for the historical roots of Santa Claus, one must go very deep in the past. One discovers that Santa Claus as we know him is a combination of many different legends and mythical creatures.
The basis for the Christian-era Santa Claus is Bishop Nicholas of Smyrna (Izmir), in what is now Turkey. Nicholas lived in the 4th century A.D. He was very rich, generous, and loving toward children. Often he gave joy to poor children by throwing gifts in through their windows. The Orthodox Church later raised St. Nicholas, miracle worker, to a position of great esteem. It was in his honour that Russia's oldest church, for example, was built. For its part, the Roman Catholic Church honoured Nicholas as one who helped children and the poor. St. Nicholas became the patron saint of children and seafarers. His name day is December 6th.
In the Protestant areas of central and northern Germany, St. Nicholas later became known as der Weinachtsmann. In England he came to be called Father Christmas. St. Nicholas made his way to the United States with Dutch immigrants, and began to be referred to as Santa Claus.
It first appeared in North American poetry and illustrations, Santa Claus, in his white beard, red jacket and pompom-topped cap, would sally forth on the night before Christmas in his sleigh, pulled by eight reindeer, and climb down chimneys to leave his gifts in stockings children set out on the fireplace's mantelpiece.
Children naturally wanted to know where Santa Claus actually came from. Where did he live when he wasn't delivering presents? Those questions gave rise to the legend that Santa Claus lived at the North Pole, where his Christmas-gift workshop was also located.
In 1823 in the poem "A Visit From Saint Nicholas" more commonly known as "The Night Before Christmas" by writer Clement Clarke Moore. Moore included such details as the names of the reindeer; Santa Claus's laughs, winks, and nods; and the method by which Saint Nicholas, referred to as an elf, returns up the chimney.
The image of Santa Claus was further elaborated by illustrator Thomas Nast, who depicted a rotund Santa for Christmas issues of Harper's magazine from the 1860s to the 1880s. Nast added such details as Santa's workshop at the North Pole and Santa's list of the good and bad children of the world. A human-sized version of Santa Claus, rather than the elf of Moore's poem, was depicted in a series of illustrations for Coca-Cola advertisements introduced in 1931. In modern versions of the Santa Claus legend, only his toy-shop workers are elves. Rudolph, the ninth reindeer, with a red and shiny nose, was invented in 1939 by an advertising writer for the Montgomery Ward Company.
In 1925, since grazing reindeer would not be possible at the North Pole, newspapers revealed that Santa Claus in fact lived in Finnish Lapland. "Uncle Markus", Markus Rautio, who compered the popular "Children's hour" on Finnish public radio, revealed the great secret for the first time in 1927: Santa Claus lives on Lapland's Korvatunturi - "Ear Fell" .The fell, which is situated directly on Finland's eastern frontier, somewhat resembles a hare's ears - which are in fact Santa Claus's ears, with which he listens to hear if the world's children are being nice.
Over the centuries, customs from different parts of the Northern Hemisphere thus came together and created the whole world's Santa Claus - the ageless, timeless, deathless white-bearded man who gives out gifts on Christmas and always returns to Korvatunturi in Finnish Lapland.
Since the 1950s, Santa has happily sojourned at Napapiiri, near Rovaniemi, at times other than Christmas, to meet children and the young at heart. By 1985 his visits to Napapiiri had become so regular that he established his own Santa Claus Office there. He comes there every day of the year to hear what children want for Christmas and to talk with children who have arrived from around the world. Santa Claus Village is also the location of Santa's main Post Office, which receives children's letters from the four corners of the world.
Can the legend be ACCEPTED?
There are arguments that the belief is pagan and should not be accepted and entertained. The arguments become stronger when the interpreters describe this legend as an attempt by the fallen mankind into changing "the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man”. But what I feel is Santa Claus, the smiling, generous, fictitious giver of good gifts , helps in learning the lesson of "it is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35) . Let the children (and the old ) give something for the furtherance of the Lord's work, and also give to others, preferably buying with their own money any gifts that they desire to give. This legend teaches them that they are to give unselfishly, without expecting anything in return. This will help to keep them from developing selfish and self-centered characters and will help them to learn the joy of giving to others and bringing blessings to them. What better example of the celebration of the Christmas spirit than a man, sainted, who gave everything to help his fellow man? St. Nicholas, Santa Claus, or Father Christmas, there's no doubt his gift keeps giving and living beyond time.
Another argument is that a child whom the parents had taught never to tell a lie becomes old enough to learn personally the truth and be amazed at the lies that his parents have told him about Santa Claus…!! And that he/she may get the feeling that they had deceived him. I find this argument senseless and baseless. By the time when the child understands this fantasy in its true sense, he/she will be mature enough to get hold of the good intentions hidden behind this harmless legend. The child will be happy to realize that those gifts which he got for Christmas during his childhood were from his/her parents and that will only help to love both of them more and more. It can only lead to the strengthening of our family bonds. And what I feel is this is something that the spirit of Christmas is intended to do for all of us. It makes us remember that Christmas isn’t just a time to give gifts and decorate our home. It is a time to spend with our families, to love one another, and to celebrate the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Also, this is the true meaning behind the legend of caring Santa.
With all these thoughts in mind, let us welcome another wonderful and meaningful Christmas season and wait for the visit of jovial, generous, fun-provoking Santa Claus.
