Father Christmas is a universally recognised feature of the festive season. He would not always have been as easy for people to identify in his current form though, as Father Christmas has become a hybrid figure from two separate traditions.
The journey that he took to becoming a festive icon on a par with turkey and Christmas decorations was longer than his trip from Greenland. The name ‘Father Christmas’ hails from the UK, but at first, he was not associated with gifts. In the 16th century, he was a representation of eating, drinking and general merriness.
While he was still depicted as being fat and jolly, he did not have the white beard or red costume, and did not bring presents. Following a period of banishment by the Puritans, he returned in the 18th century as a winter sprite; meanwhile, a second tradition was blooming in another part of the world.
The Netherlands had a character called ‘Sinterklaas’ based on St Nicholas. When Dutch people emigrated to the US, they took him with them and the name gradually became ‘Santa Claus’.
The merging of the two to create the modern character is thought to have been a conscious choice. In Britain, the Victorians wanted to shift the festive focus to family, while in the US, similar moves were afoot. By the late 19th century, ‘Father Christmas’ and ‘Santa Claus’ were all but interchangeable. The main elements of the character were in place, from his red costume to his reindeer.
The Father Christmas we recognise and love was born – and it had nothing to do with Coca-Cola, as people commonly believe!
