The origin of Father Christmas

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The origin of Father Christmas

Every year on Christmas Eve, children throughout the UK will be too excited to sleep and pestering parents for tales of Father Christmas. The mythical gift giver who travels around the world in a single night in a reindeer-drawn sleigh has captured the imagination of people of all ages in the 20th century. From his red suit of clothes to his snowy white beard, Father Christmas is an icon for the season, but exactly where does this legend find his beginning?

If you’re curious about the origin of Father Christmas, join us on a journey back through time and across the world as we investigate just where this colourful character hails from.

A legend in the making

In Britain, Father Christmas is the traditional name for the personification of the festival of Christmas. Today, just like Santa Claus across the Atlantic, he’s known for arriving in homes by way of the chimney to fill stockings with toys and leave presents beneath trees, originally he was a figure found in English folklore. While Father Christmas really got into his stride the Victorian era, Christmas itself was personified far earlier here in the 15th Century.

In the wake of the English Civil War, Father Christmas himself first appeared around the middle of the 17th Century. The Puritan-led government in the UK had legally abolished Christmas, claiming its traditional customs were papist. Opposing Royalists adopted him for their political pamphlets, connecting past traditions with their agenda through Father Christmas, a symbol of festive good cheer and feasting.

By 1660, after the Restoration, Father Christmas was seen less, but put in annual appearances in the 18th and 19th Centuries through folk plays designed for Christmas. By Victorian times Christmas was evolving into a child-focused family festival for winter, and Father Christmas soon became the man who brought along the presents.

England was introduced to the American incarnation of Father Christmas known as Santa Claus around the 1850s. Many of his qualities were adopted by England’s Father Christmas, and by 1880 the two were difficult to distinguish from one another. The white trimmed red gown (which later became a suit and hat) were often featured and the myth of him visiting by night to deliver presents began to take hold.

Ornaments and images of Father Christmas often become cherished family favourites brought out each year to celebrate the season and carefully packages away with care before January. From beautifully hand-painted Polka Santa ornaments that look great in the garden, to high quality canvases showing Father Christmas that light up with twinkling fibre optics.

The American Santa Claus

America’s answer to Father Christmas, known as Santa Claus, became a part of popular culture by the late 18th Century, when a newspaper based in New York reported Dutch families honouring the anniversary of the day St Nicholas died. The moniker Santa Claus actually comes from the affectionate name the Dutch use for St Nicholas, Sinter Klass.

In 1804, the New York Historical Society were shown woodcuts of St.Nicholas alongside fireplaces hung with toy and fruit filled stockings. Five years later, Sinter Klaus was further popularised by writer Washington Irvin in his book “The History of New York”, where he called St. Nicholas the Saint of the city. By the 19th Century, Christmas was closely associated with the giving of gifts, especially to children. Stores used images of Santa Claus in advertisements, as well as life-size models of the mythical character to encourage shoppers to visit and buy presents.

Tales of St. Nicholas

The legend of Father Christmas is often attributed to St Nicholas, a monk born in around 280 AD in a place where modern day Turkey stands today. Respected and loved for his kindness, St. Nicholas features in many stories and legends where he is depicted as a man who gave up his inherited fortune to travel the land helping those in need, like the sick or poor. His popularity grew over the years and he was known as a protector for children. During the Renaissance, St. Nicolas was Europe’s most popular saint and, to this day, his feast day is celebrated on December 6 to mark the anniversary of his passing.

Father Christmas around the world

It’s not just Britain and America that have their gift givers when Christmas time rolls around. You’ll discover many different mythical characters delivering presents across the globe. In Germany and Switzerland, Kris Kringle or Christkind (Christ Child) was thought to arrive with gifts for good children, and in France Pere Noel stuffs the shoes of children with treats. In Scandinavian countries, Jultomten, a happy elf, arrives in a goat-drawn sleigh to bring presents.

Arriving a little later on January 5th, Babouschka leaves gifts by Russian children’s beds. This myth stems from a story that the elderly Babouschka purposefully gave the Three Kings in the Bible incorrect directions to hamper their efforts to find Bethlehem where the baby would be born. In Italy, a tale very similar exists with a witch called La Befana flying down chimneys on a broomstick to fill stocking full of toys for children.

Father Christmas visiting your home

The tradition of a charitable saint or personification of Christmas giving gifts has blossomed here in the UK, as has the legend of his annual, one-night visits to our home. Father Christmas is a time-honoured tradition for children and families throughout the UK, and many homeowners are keen to welcome him and the spirit of the season into their homes.

Warm white Christmas Icicle lights are perfect for lighting up your roof outdoors for a spectacular display to welcome Father Christmas onto your roof. Using LEDs, they use very little power and are far superior to other outdoor lights when it comes to safety.

For the garden, why not decorate your trees or gazebo with Christmas lantern snow globes with Father Christmas aglow in a glittery snowfall? As for indoors, CrystaLight stars and hearts look perfect hung from the fire pace and perfect for inviting the jolly old soul himself into your home.

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