What Santa gives to naughty children. History of Santa Claus
Andrei Shalygin: In fact, Christmas has nothing to do with Santa Claus or Santa Claus (Saint Nicholas, that is, Saint Nicholas), especially with deer. The fact is that the Archbishop of the World of Lycia Equal-to-the-Apostles Saint Nicholas, on the eve of the Nativity of Christ, always went around the laity and, secretly from them, so that no one would notice, left them gifts for Christmas in secluded places.
And he was, of course, not in a fur coat with fur lining. In the red clothes of a sedate elder, they write because before the introduction of different colors on the Twelfth Holidays, the festive miter was always of the same festive color - red, that is, purple, symbolizing the coming into the World of the King of People - Christ.
However, for people, of course, gifts for the New Year were more important, and since our very celebration of the New Year broke up with Christmas, and then communist propaganda tried its best to forget the very idea of Christmas, then the grandfather in a fur coat living in the forest turned out to be more tenacious than Nicholas the Pleasant, as he is called among the people, who became Santa Claus with the pagan Berendey Snegurochka.
It is no coincidence that Christmas is the same central holiday of the church year as Easter: these holidays symbolize the most important events for Christians - the incarnation, the birth in the flesh of Jesus Christ and his death on the cross and the subsequent resurrection. According to the Bible, the Divine Infant was born on the night of December 25 in a cave near Bethlehem. The Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph were heading to this city for the census, announced by order of the King of Judea, Herod the Great, and spent the night in a cave. The Mother of God swaddled the newborn Jesus and put it in a manger (feeder for cattle), and soon the Magi came to the cave to bow to Christ.
Therefore, an indispensable attribute of the holiday was and remains christmas nativity scene- a sculptural image of the Baby Jesus in a manger, the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph in a cave (in fact, the word "nativity scene" in translation from Church Slavonic means "cave"). There may be more figures, but these three are required. In cathedrals and churches, nativity scenes are usually large: full-length painted figures, large decorations, and a large number of characters. Similar large nativity scenes appear on the streets of many European and American cities. But for home, so to speak, use, there are small folding nativity scenes, many of which are inherited in families for more than the first generation: they are placed on tables or on the floor near the Christmas tree just before Christmas.
Another common attribute of Christmas among Catholics is the so-called advent wreath. This is a small wreath, woven from spruce branches and decorated with ribbons, balls and other tinsel, on which four thick candles are fixed. Each of them symbolizes one of the four weeks of Advent - the month of strict fasting preceding Christmas among Catholics. Such wreaths can be seen from the end of November in all Catholic churches at the altars, and the vast majority of ordinary lay people are happy to put them on the table in their home - at least on Christmas Eve, that is, on the evening before Christmas. Once upon a time, candles were lit in sequence, one on each Sunday, but today, as a rule, they light up at the same time - it's more beautiful that way.
Mandatory for Catholics (and not only: similar services are also held by Protestants and other branches of Christianity living according to the Gregorian calendar) was and remains a visit to the Christmas Mass. On the night of December 25, there are three of them: Mass at night (Ad Missam in nocte), Mass at dawn (Ad Missam in aurora) and Mass during the day (Ad Missam in die). Each service has a special religious meaning, and Christmas is actually celebrated three times: during the first service - as the eternal birth of the Word from God the Father, during the second - as the birth of God the Son from the Virgin, and during the third - as the birth of God in the soul of the believer.
Among Catholics, the original idea of an archbishop congratulating the flock on Christmas has remained closer to the original, so the main modern symbol of Christmas is Santa Claus, who is usually represented as a fat, good-natured old man with glasses and a white beard, dressed in a warm red jacket, pants and cap. However, the historical prototype of this character - St. Nicholas the Wonderworker - did not at all resemble him.
St Nicholas
Nicholas the Wonderworker is one of the most revered saints in the Christian world. He is considered the protector of ordinary people, the patron saint of navigation, trade and agriculture, as well as the guardian of the poor and orphans.
According to his life, St. Nicholas was born in the 3rd century AD. in the Greek colony of Patara in the Roman province of Lycia (on the territory of the modern province of Antalya in Turkey). He gained fame as the archbishop of the World of Lycia (Byzantium), thanks to his charity and protection of the innocently convicted, as well as numerous deeds and miracles.
Catholics currently commemorate St. Nicholas on December 6th. In the Orthodox tradition, this holiday is celebrated twice - on December 19 (December 6, according to the old style) "Winter Nicholas" and on May 22 (May 6, according to the old style) "Spring Nicholas".
The face of Archbishop Nicholas was reconstructed by a team of British anthropologists and Italian scientists from the remains, which are kept in the Basilica of St. Nicholas in Bari.
“The real Santa Claus was 170 cm tall and had sharp facial features, which seemed even more severe due to a broken nose. His skin was dark, short-cropped matted hair, a disheveled beard. A large, frightening-looking man,” the researchers said.
According to legend, Archbishop Nicholas tossed small bags of gold coins into the chimneys of poor girls who were old enough to marry but had no dowry.
The tradition of giving gifts on this day dates back to the 10th century, when on December 6, students of the parish school began to distribute sweets in the Cologne Cathedral. Later in Germany, shoes or socks were hung in houses so that St. Nicholas would put gifts for children there.
Santa Claus
Santa's reindeer
The tradition of depicting Santa on a sleigh pulled by reindeer originated at the beginning of the 19th century. In the first illustrations, Santa was driving a small sleigh pulled by a single reindeer. In 1823, the first edition of the famous poem "The Night Before Christmas" was published, in which eight "horned helpers" were already carrying the sleigh.
The ninth reindeer named Rudolph, who becomes the head of the team, did not appear until 1949, when Johnny Marks wrote the song "Rudolf, the Red Nosed Reindeer." The rest of the deer are named Dasher ("Stunning"), Dancer ("Dancer"), Prancer ("Prancing"), Vixen ("Evil"), Comet ("Comet"), Cupid ("Cupid"), Dander ("Dump" ) and Blixem ("Lightning").
Veterinarian Ellis Blue-McLendon of Texas A&M University says the deer are females. At the same time, she refers to the fact that by December 25, males are already getting rid of the horns, while Santa's sleigh is pulled by ungulates with horns. And deer specialist Gregory Finstead from the University of Alaska Fairbanks is of the opinion that Santa's little helpers are castrated males who get rid of their antlers only in February-March.
Physicists from Germany have calculated the speed with which Santa Claus must move on Christmas Eve in order to deliver all the gifts. This is approximately 28,416 kilometers per hour, which is 23 times the speed of sound. It also turned out that Santa Claus can't goad his reindeer with the traditional "Ho, ho, ho!" at supersonic speed, the scream will never reach the ears of the animals.
Santa Claus Corporation
Experts from Wired magazine "revealed" the business plan of the transnational corporation Santa Claus to deliver gifts for Christmas. With the help of business consultants, delivery and surveillance specialists, and Navy SEALs, a rough plan for her work in the United States was drawn up.
According to experts, the structure of Santa Claus Inc. includes, among others, a headquarters and operations center at the North Pole, secret factories in China and Eastern Europe, Pacific shipping lines, and a huge network of warehouses and local distribution centers. At the same time, the most modern technologies are used - the surveillance system of the National Security Agency allows delivering gifts at the very moment when the child is sleeping, and the supercomputer provides accurate information about good and bad children.
Tracking Santa
In recent years, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and Google have been tracking Santa's flight online.
The tradition of tracking Santa's course on Christmas Eve originated as early as 1955 after a misprint in a Colorado newspaper advertisement in which NORAD (at the time: Continental Air Defense Command - CONRAD) instead of Santa's hotline number was listed. As more calls came to the number, the commander on the other end of the line began to impersonate Santa Claus, and since 1958 this has become one of the modern holiday customs.
NORAD experts say the Christmas sleigh surveillance system works thanks to the nose of Rudolph the reindeer, which emits a special infrared signal that resembles the one that occurs when rockets are launched.
In recent years, you can track Santa's flight on your own using Twitter microblogs or the Facebook social network, as well as on a specially created website using Google Maps and Google Earth services. The map shows the route traveled, the next point and the number of gifts already presented.
Anton Smertin
How Christmas is celebrated
But outside the actual church holiday, everyone is preparing for Christmas and celebrating it to their taste and in accordance with national traditions. Most will try to decorate the door of their house with a Christmas wreath that resembles an Advent wreath without candles: this is a sign that Christ is expected and rejoiced in the house. Also, most of those celebrating Catholic Christmas, having gathered for a festive dinner on Christmas Eve, will certainly put an extra chair at the table, and an extra appliance on the table. On the one hand, this symbolizes the readiness of the family to meet and feed anyone who looks into the light that evening; on the other hand, this is a reminder of all relatives and friends who cannot meet the festive evening at the common table; and on the third, it is a sign of memory and respect for those members of the family who are no longer alive, but who, as Catholics believe, are waiting for them on the other side of earthly existence.
By the way, about beliefs, more precisely, about the heritage of pagan times. Many ethnologists believe that it is no coincidence that Catholic Christmas took root so quickly and became so widespread, first in Europe, and then in the New World. According to scientists, the custom of celebrating the birth of the Baby Jesus at the end of December, immediately after the night of the winter solstice, perfectly coincided with the pagan traditions of meeting the turn of winter. And therefore, in many European countries, especially in Northern and Eastern Europe, to this day there are Christmas customs with obvious pagan roots, not approved by the official church, but traditionally observed by the laity. For example, "Christmas log": such a log is chosen in advance from the most straight and clean, on Christmas Eve they bring it into the house, carve a cross on it, then pour it with oil and honey and burn it in a stove or in a fireplace.
The same legacy of pagan beliefs that have become accustomed to Christianity is the indispensable Christmas tree. The Germans were the first to put it on Christmas - first in large city squares, and then at home, and after them the custom migrated to other European countries, from where it spread throughout the world - along with Christianity.
Christmas table
The festive Christmas table is also varied, since the traditional Christmas dishes in each country are different. For example, in Great Britain it is an oven-baked turkey in gooseberry sauce and Christmas pudding, which is poured over with rum, set on fire and served as such. AT America the same Christmas turkey is served on the table in cranberry sauce, and in France- in white wine sauce. But in Austria, Hungary and in many Balkan countries there is never a bird on the Christmas table: it is believed that it is impossible to eat it that evening - happiness will fly away.
AT Germany a traditional Christmas dish is confectionery: gingerbread, muffins or cinnamon stars, in Italy and Spain- seafood, Norway- fish, and Portugal- dried salted cod, which is usually washed down with port wine. The indispensable common attributes of the Christmas table among Catholics and Protestants are perhaps an Advent wreath and a dish with wafers - consecrated unleavened bread, which those gathered share with each other, wishing peace and good.
And of course, Christmas is an indispensable gift! Since in the Western European tradition it is the birth of Jesus that is the main winter holiday, much more important than the New Year, then the main gifts are given precisely at Christmas. The tradition of Christmas gifts also goes back to the legend of the Magi worshiping the newborn Baby Jesus: they brought him gold, frankincense and myrrh as a gift. Of course, neither myrrh nor incense is given today to any of the laity, but gold, or rather, gold jewelry, is one of the most common gifts.
Children, of course, are waiting for toys and hang red and white woolen socks on the mantelpiece (who has a fireplace) or over the bed (who does not have a fireplace) in advance. This tradition came from England: they believe that Santa Claus, who has a habit of looking into chimneys on Christmas Eve nights to find out how children are behaving, accidentally dropped a few coins from his pocket that fell into a sock drying by the fire. Since then, it has been traditionally believed that Santa Claus puts gifts in socks, descending from the roof along the chimney. souvenir.
And, for example, in Zimbabwe each family has to prepare a huge amount of Christmas gifts - several dozen! And the point is not only that African families, as a rule, have very large families. It's just that in this country it is customary to visit all relatives and friends on the way home from the Christmas service - and when you go in, you will certainly receive a gift. And although there is no such custom in other countries, it is considered indecent to refuse someone a good deed at Christmas. And in general, the month before Christmas is considered the time when you need to do philanthropy and charity - in memory of the good people who once harbored the Holy Family.
Tatyana Rubleva
One mention of a cheerful man in a red cap immediately brings back memories of a happy childhood, of waiting for a holiday about gifts under the tree and various kinds of goodies. The prototype of Santa and Santa Claus was St. Nicholas, who did not live at all at the North Pole. The image of the New Year's grandfather has been formed for almost 1700 years, and in some countries they even wanted to ban it. In our review, there are very curious facts about the main New Year's grandfather.
1. Saint Nicholas is not from the North Pole at all
St. Nicholas was a Greek bishop who lived in the third - fourth centuries in a warm country - Greece. Anthropologists have recreated his face from a preserved skull and found that St. Nick's nose was broken. This may have led to the frequent depiction of Saint Nicholas with a large potato nose.
2. Santa is a miracle worker
Every year, many Christians celebrate Saint Nicholas Day on December 6, the day Nicholas died. Miracles often happen on this day.
3 Nicholas Was Originally Known As The Bringer Of Gifts
Saint Nicholas was known to bring magical gifts and also became the patron saint of children. According to one of the most famous stories, Nikolay saw three young sisters who were involved in prostitution in order to survive. He secretly brought three sacks of gold to their father (who was heavily indebted) to provide them with a dowry for the wedding.
4. St. Nicholas - the righteous
This story was often told during the Middle Ages, but is virtually unknown today. Nikolay somehow came to the inn, where the owner had recently killed three boys, chopped their bodies into pieces and stuffed barrels with meat to salt them. Nicholas brought the boys back to life.
5. How Saint Nicholas disappeared from Christmas celebrations
As the Protestant Reformation swept across much of central and northern Europe, the popularity of the saints declined sharply. Thus, the symbol of the bringer of gifts disappeared. Soon, in many families and countries, the "baby Jesus" began to play this role.
6. The custom of giving gifts was moved to another day.
When the people began to believe not in St. Nicholas, but in the baby Jesus, the day of congratulations and gifts was moved from December 6 to December 25.
7. Santa's ability to fly and eight reindeer
The Scandinavian god Odin probably influenced the development of the Santa Claus story. Odin flew on the eight-legged horse Sleipnir (it is believed that this is how the myth of Santa's eight reindeer appeared).
8 The Origin Of The Red Santa Suit
One of the main theories about why Santa Claus wears a red suit is that it happened because of Nicholas's religious stance (Nicholas wore the red cloak of an archbishop).
9. The Dutch kept the faith in Santa
While much of Europe abandoned Saint Nicholas in favor of the infant Jesus, the Netherlands retained traditional belief in its own version of the gift-bringing character: Sinterklaas. Dutch settlers later brought this tradition to the United States.
10. Christmas or booze
After the founding of the United States, most families in this country did not like or even celebrate Christmas. This is explained simply - basically the States were founded by English settlers, and in England and the colonies it was customary to celebrate the holiday with a lot of alcohol. Therefore, guests often got drunk and rowdy.
11. St. Nicholas was painted almost as often as the mother of Jesus
Among all religious saints, St. Nicholas (or Santa Claus) was depicted by artists more than any other, except the Virgin Mary.
The image of Santa Claus, which is familiar to everyone today, was first drawn by a cartoonist. Thomas Nast, a political cartoonist in the late 1800s, depicted Kris Kringle wearing a red coat with white fur and quite plump.
13. The legendary Coca-Cola ad
One of the most famous facts about Santa Claus is that thanks to Coca-Cola advertising in 1931, the image of Santa was finally formed into the modern one known to everyone today. It was 84 years ago that Coca-Cola marketers decided to turn the saint into a well-fed, good-natured grandfather, traveling on a reindeer sleigh and making his way through chimneys to houses to bring gifts to children.
14. Countries where the fun tradition of giving gifts is unpopular
There are quite a few countries where Santa Claus is disliked, preferring his characters who bring gifts to him. For example, in the Netherlands, during December, gifts are brought by Sinterklaas, and in southern Germany and northern Austria, Krampus often visits Christmas markets.
It turns out that the images of Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden were formed in the USSR only in the 1930s. The image of Frost has existed since ancient Slavic times, but only in the 19th century in Russia this image was tied to an original "Christmas grandfather" who gives gifts to children. After the revolution, Santa Claus was banned, like Christmas, and again Santa Claus "returned" to the USSR in 1936.
Before the New Year comes, it's time to find out everything.
Santa Claus is a character who migrated from fairy tales to reality. Children and teenagers believe in him, adults resort to his help. The existence of the hero explains the unusual events that take place on New Year's holidays. A gray-bearded old man in a traditional red suit takes care of the children and prepares gifts throughout the year. Surprises placed under the Christmas tree on New Year's Eve are expected by kids no less than birthday presents. Relationships with a fictional character are built on faith in him and in a miracle.
History of appearance
It's hard to believe that Santa Claus is a real person. He lived in ancient times, and his homeland was not called Lapland, but the Lycian Worlds. These are lands located on the territory of present-day Turkey. References to the character date back to 253 AD. The name of the citizen is St. Nicholas. He worked in the rank of bishop, was known as a respectable person and was respected for his faith. With savings, St. Nicholas shared with those in need and helped them as best he could. Sailors, merchants and bakers considered him a patron, and children doted on a good hero.
According to the tradition established in the 10th century, December 6 was the day of distribution of gifts in the Cologne Cathedral. The custom was quickly adopted in other cities, associating it with the famous St. Nicholas. In Russia, the hero is called.
In the 19th century, the American Clement Moore wrote a poem entitled "The Night Before Christmas, or the Visit of Saint Nicholas". She told about grandfather going from house to house to distribute gifts to children who had been well-behaved all year. The character's name, Santa Claus, is associated with a generous giver.
By 1840, almost everyone in the New World had an idea of who Santa Claus was. In 1863, the artist Thomas Nast used the image of an old man in political cartoons. Subsequently, he described the life of a wizard in illustrations. Since then, it has been generally accepted that Santa Claus lives at the North Pole, and his residence accommodates many elves who help make gifts for children.
According to legend, Santa has a house where he lives and works. Here he makes entries in the book of deeds of children from all over the world, assessing who was obedient and who played pranks. It is curious that the hero was originally depicted as an elf, but over time, the appearance became more human and similar to that which can be seen in modern images of the character.
Biography
Throughout the year, Santa prepares for the main holiday to pamper children with long-awaited gifts. On the eve of the holiday, he gets into a sleigh pulled by deer and flies through the sky to different countries, delivering presents. Grandpa comes down the chimney to every house, leaves surprises under the tree and eats cookies. Having completed the work, he goes home and again gives the task to the elves, who collect gifts for the kids.
Santa is dressed in red pants and a jacket with a belt, a neat cap on his head, and high boots on his feet. In some images, you can see that the grandfather is not averse to indulging in a smoking pipe. The environment of the old man is peculiar, and the history of life remains mysterious.
Unlike, who has a granddaughter, Santa Claus is lonely. Although some suggest that Mrs. Claus has a right to exist. The old man takes care of himself and has a weakness for milk and cookies, which are usually left for him under the tree. Among his friends are elves and deer, creatures with whom Santa easily finds a common language.
Magic sleds are moved through the air by forest deer: Dasher - Swift, Dancer - Dancer, Prencer - Steed, Vixen - Frisky, Comet - Comet, Cupid - Cupid, Donder - Thunder, Blitzen - Lightning and Rudolph. The last horse joined the herd by chance, having overtaken the deer during a snow storm. It is distinguished by a bright red luminous nose.
If we talk about the person who served as the prototype for Santa Claus, then his biography has more evidence and known details. Nicholas was born in Asia Minor in 255-257. AD in Patara. The boy's parents died, leaving their property to the heir. He lived with an uncle who was a priest and helped those in need. There is a known case related to the family of a poor man, whose daughters could not marry for lack of a dowry. The girls were going to be sold into slavery.
The night before the first transaction, the eldest daughter hung up the stockings after washing to dry, and in the morning she found gold in them. Nicholas helped the girls find happiness. He came to the rescue secretly. After a while he was elected bishop. The life of the hero was an example of faith, generosity and cordiality. After the death of Nicholas, the tradition of giving gifts and leaving surprises in New Year's stockings continued.
Quotes and Facts
In different countries, Santa Claus is represented in different images, and in different languages of the world his name sounds different. In Russia and Belarus, this is Santa Claus, in Austria - Sylvester, in Greece - Saint Basil, in Germany - Weinakhtsman, in Colombia - Pascual, in France - Pere Noel. Holland is the country where Santa's name is Sinterklaas. In each state, the wizard hides gifts in his own way. In Sweden, children find them by the stove, in Germany - on the windowsill, in Mexico - in boots, and in Spain - on the balcony. In one corner of the world, Santa Claus is a pagan god, in another he is a wizard, and in a third he is a forest dweller.
In Europe, it is generally accepted that the overgrown favorite of children lives in Lapland. Many families come to the residence of Santa Claus for a visit on the eve of the New Year. In America, my grandfather has a residence in Torrington, Connecticut and Wilmington, New York.
Americans have made Santa Claus the idol of millions. Thanks to the famous advertising campaign of the Coca-Cola brand, the image of a lively grandfather was fixed in the minds of children and adults. Not surprisingly, cartoon characters in the United States unmistakably voice the nuances of Santa's biography.
“Don't you know the true meaning of Christmas? It's Santa's birthday!" - He speaks .
In the cartoon "Santa's Secret Service", the position of the main magician is passed down from generation to generation, and the main character declares with dignity:
“Many years ago my father told me that being a Santa is the best job in the world. He was right: I love my job!”
The kind image of a plump old man bringing gifts is cultivated in America and other countries, allowing children to believe in magic and a fairy tale. Philosophical quotes on this subject are contained in each New Year's film broadcast during the holidays.
Screen adaptations
Billy Bob Thornton in Bad Santa Santa became the hero of numerous animated projects and films. In comedies, parents of large families, notorious bandits, heroes who do not believe in the power of Christmas, and those who lack love and warmth during the cold winter holidays appear in the image of the New Year's wizard.
Cinematographers present Santa Claus as an ordinary family man in the film "Santa Claus" in 1994, introduce the public to the character forced to play the role of a good wizard in the film "Bad Santa" in 2003 and offer to find out what a grandfather's family might look like. This is what the film Fred Klaus tells about. Santa's brother" 2007 release. Thanks to the imagination of the directors, the hero of traditional legends appears in a modern guise and remains a favorite of the public, regardless of the plot of the tape.
On New Year's and Christmas gifts are given all over the world, however, not in every case, it is Santa Claus or his analogue who does this. Sometimes it can be gnomes, trolls, a scary goat or a baby. A whole galaxy of New Year's creatures is in our today's selection.
1. Yolasweinar
Country: Iceland
Yolasveinars are 13 mischievous creatures that replace Santa Claus in Iceland. The first significant mention of them came in the early 1930s, when an Icelandic writer wrote a short poem about their role in Christmas. Since then, they have gone through many different incarnations, from cute generous givers to harmful pests. At one time they were even called bloodthirsty monsters who kidnap and eat children at night.
But above all, the Yolasweinar are famous for their mischievous nature. And everyone has a special trait that is unique to him and sometimes quite strange. For example, Ketcrokur steals meat with a long hook, and Gluggagegir peeps people out the window to steal something at night. Stekkjastur walks on stilts and chases sheep.
How do they give gifts?
But the yolasweinar not only do strange things, they also give gifts to children. For children who have been well-behaved all 13 nights before Christmas Eve, they put good gifts in their shoes. And bad children are given potatoes. Accompanying the yolasweinar is the Yule Cat, a hungry beast that eats bad children.
2. Nisse
Countries: different areas of Scandinavia
Niss legends are told in the Scandinavian countries: Norway, Finland and Sweden. At first, the nisse was the name given to the little gnomes who watched over the family farms. They were kind and looked after people, but they liked to be mischievous and could often break something or play a cruel joke on those who misused their lands. As Christianity gained strength, the nisse gradually joined the traditional Christmas holidays for the whole world, but they themselves changed: they acquired more human features and became more like Santa Claus.
How do they give gifts?
Modern nisse, also known as youlupukki, are still very different from Santa Claus and our Father Frost. In particular, they are not fat and do not ride flying sleds. And they don't live at the North Pole, just like in Veliky Ustyug. In some regions, children believe that nisse live very close to their homes. And, although the nisse bring gifts to children, they do not climb into the chimney at night. In this respect, nisse are just like the Russian Grandfather Frost: a father or relative dresses in a nisse costume and personally gives gifts to children.
3. Baby Jesus
Countries: some provinces of Germany, Austria, Italy and Brazil
In those countries where Christianity has become the main religion, the Infant Jesus gives gifts to children. It was invented in the 16th century by Martin Luther. He hoped that the more religious the holiday, the greater the chance of eradicating what he considered the harmful influence of St. Nicholas. Since the Child Jesus is supposed to be a baby in the literal sense, he is usually depicted as a small holy child with blond hair and angel wings. The influence of the Child Jesus as the only symbol of Christmas is waning with the rise of Santa Claus, but he is still honored in the Catholic countries of South and Central America.
How does he give gifts?
The hallmark of the Child Jesus as a giver is that no one has ever seen him. Children often say that he disappeared moments before they arrived.
4. Belsnickel
Countries: Germany, Austria, Argentina, USA (Dutch Pennsylvania)
Belsnickel is a legendary figure. He accompanies Santa Claus in some regions of Europe, as well as in some small Dutch communities in the US state of Pennsylvania. Like Krampus in Germany and Austria or Per Fottar in France, Belsnickel is the main enforcer of discipline in the Santa Claus circle. Belsnickel usually appears as a figure resembling a mountain man - his body is wrapped in furs, and his face is sometimes covered with a mask with a long tongue. Unlike Santa Claus, who was designed to be loved by children, Belsnickel is designed to be feared. In most regions, it serves as a kind of horror story with which children can be made to behave.
How does he give gifts?
By all indications, Belsnickel can be attributed to negative characters, but in some regions he also gives gifts to children. For example, in Germany, good obedient children receive sweets and small gifts from him on December 6th, St. Nicholas Day. And naughty children are waiting for coals or a whip. In some countries, they even say that Belsnickel can come to the children in person and warn them that they need to behave better.
5. Per Noel and Per Fottar
Country: France
Papa Noel is one of the most popular incarnations of Saint Nicholas. In France, he is known more than anyone else. Outwardly, he looks like Santa Claus, but instead of deer, he rides a single donkey named Gui, which means "Mistletoe" in French.
In some regions of France, as in many other countries, Saint Nicholas Day is celebrated on December 5th. For this special day, the French not only have Saint Nicholas himself, but also a character named Père Fottar (Father with a Whip). Like Belsnickel, he is needed to intimidate naughty children. Why this happened is clear from his history. Its most common version says that in the 12th century, Per Fottar and his wife kidnapped and killed three young men and made soup from them. Then the good Saint Nicholas found and resurrected the victims, and Per Fottar repented of his crime and promised to become his assistant.
How does he give gifts?
Like Sinterklaas and many other variations of Santa Claus, Per Noel puts small presents and candies in his shoes to the left of the fireplace. Per Fottar is not so kind and cheerful: he carries rusty chains and whips with him, with which he “gifts” naughty children. Sometimes he is even more cruel - in some regions they believe that he cuts out the tongues of children caught in a lie.
6. Befana
Country: Italy
In general, Befana is similar to Santa Claus and Santa Claus, but looks very different from them. Befana is a witch who has become an important part of Christmas holidays in Italy. There are different stories about her, but most often they say that this kind woman gave food and shelter to the three wise men when they went to bow to the baby Jesus.
Befana looks colorful. She is depicted as an old woman who flies on a broomstick, wears a black shawl and carries around a bag of gifts. Her appearance is terrifying, and it is said that she can hit any child who follows her with her broom. Smart kids should lie in bed while their parents prepare gifts!
How does she give gifts?
Like Santa Claus, Befana goes down the chimney into the house and leaves gifts for obedient children, and a piece of coal or ashes for naughty ones. And since Befana is known as the best hostess in all of Italy, before leaving, she sweeps the floor around the fireplace before whisking back into the chimney.
7. Krampus
Countries: Austria, Germany and Hungary
In the Alpine countries, Santa Claus comes to children. But not alone: he is accompanied by a terrible bloodthirsty monster named Krampus. His name comes from the German "klaue" - "claw". Krampus is part of the entourage of Santa Claus, but he is more of an evil character than a kind one - in any case, he beats naughty children or punishes them in other ways in a medieval style.
The Krampus legend appeared hundreds of years ago, but the church hushed it up until the 19th century. And today it has become part of Christmas in parts of Bavaria and Austria, where December 5th is celebrated as "Krampus Day" or "Krapusteg". People dress up as Krampus, walk the streets and scare other people. Some cities even hold entire festivals.
How does he give gifts?
It is clear that gifts are not his style. In traditional folklore, Krampus is more likely to beat delinquent children with rods or give them a severe reprimand if they are lucky. According to another version, he even kidnaps the worst children in the city, stuffs them into a bag and throws them into the river.
8. Father Frost and Snow Maiden
Countries: Russia, Serbia, Bosnia, Ukraine, Macedonia, Poland and other countries of the former USSR
Our Santa Claus is one of the most interesting New Year characters in the world. He gives gifts not only to Russian children, but also to babies of almost all Slavic countries in Eastern Europe. Santa Claus wears a red coat and white beard, but unlike Western Santa Claus, he does not ride a reindeer-drawn sleigh. Everything is cooler with him: he rides a sleigh pulled by three horses.
But the most interesting thing about Santa Claus is his story. Once he was an evil and vicious sorcerer, kidnapped children and demanded rich gifts as a ransom. But over time, he “corrected”, and now he himself gives gifts to children. And Santa Claus has a granddaughter, the Snow Maiden, who helps him. And no one else has such a Snow Girl.
How does he give gifts?
Santa Claus comes on New Year's Eve or December 31st. He puts gifts under the tree, but sometimes he himself appears at parties and gala dinners and gives gifts in person.
9. Sinterklaas and Black Peter
Countries: Netherlands, Flanders
Sinterklaas is the Dutch version of Santa Claus. He wears a traditional red suit, gray beard and is always cheerful. But unlike Santa, he appears every year in the Netherlands at the end of November. It is said that he arrives on a steamboat from Spain, and after disembarking, he walks through the streets of the city to say hello to all the Dutch children.
There are no elves in the retinue of Sinterklaas, Black Peter, a little boy, helps him to give gifts. There are many legends about how Black Peter began to travel with Sinterklaas, and some are very controversial. Some say that he was a black servant or even a slave of Sinterklaas, while other legends claim that he is a demon. But because of the racist overtones, the old stories of Black Peter have been rewritten, and now he is often described as a simple chimney sweep.
How do they give gifts?
Sinterklaas brings gifts to children on December 5th, St. Nicholas Day. The children put their shoes next to the fireplace and leave a carrot for Sinterklaas's horse. If they behaved well, then in the morning they will find sweets and gifts in their shoes. Personally, Sinterklaas does not leave gifts: for this he has Black Peter, who goes down the chimney into the house with gifts for good children and coal or bags of salt for the bad ones. In old legends, Black Peter kidnapped the worst children and took them to Spain as punishment for terrible behavior.
10. Father Christmas
Countries: UK, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and many others
Father Christmas had a huge impact on the look of the "classic" Santa Claus. It is Father Christmas who is the main character in Christmas legends and the giver of gifts in many countries. In his modern incarnation, he looks like Santa Claus, but they have different origins. In the 17th century, Father Christmas was portrayed as a cheerful old man dressed in a green robe. Then he did not give gifts yet, but he was the spirit of good news and the joy of Christmas. This incarnation was taken as a basis by the famous writer Charles Dickens, who invented his Spirit of the current Christmas time from the story "A Christmas Carol in Prose". However, over time, Father Christmas became like Santa Claus and Sinterklaas and also began to give gifts to children.
How does he give gifts?
Basically, he does everything the same as Santa Claus: he rides a sleigh pulled by reindeer and goes down the chimney into the house to leave gifts for good children. Families often leave treats in the house for him and the deer, though this varies from country to country. In addition, the house and appearance of Father Christmas depend on the country. In some countries he wears a green suit instead of a red one and does not always live at the North Pole: some countries "settle" him in Greenland, Lapland or Finland.
BISHKEK, Dec 16 - Sputnik. Observations of little patients in hospitals in the UK have shown that Santa Claus rarely gives gifts to children from disadvantaged areas, according to an article published in the BMJ magazine, RIA Novosti writes.
At the same time, the Western analogue of Santa Claus visits obedient and naughty children equally often.
"Santa's ability to bring gifts to all the children around the world for 24 hours is legendary. But we have found that socioeconomic deprivation beats even supernatural abilities. This suggests that in Britain and elsewhere, inequality must be tackled to help Santa please all children,” said Jarvis Chen from Harvard University (USA).
In accordance with Western ideas about Santa Claus, the main friend of all children visits only those of them who have behaved well throughout the year. Santa's helpers, elves, help him keep a list of good and bad children, and give the first those gifts that they asked for in their letters, and the last receive coal or a set of sticks.
Chen and his colleagues decided to test this legend. They visited nearly 200 children's hospitals in Britain and asked staff at these hospitals to share what gifts young patients received on Christmas Day 2015 and how they behaved during their lives in the hospital. Collecting this data, the researchers tested whether Santa's visits were associated with school truancy, juvenile delinquency, socioeconomic status and other factors that may influence the behavior of minors and how much parents tend to give them gifts.As it turned out, Santa is actually kinder than the legends say: he visited almost all the children in hospitals and gave gifts to all patients, regardless of whether they behaved well or badly.
On the other hand, there were places in England, Scotland, and Wales where Santa didn't get in—mostly those with the highest levels of social and economic distress. This was most pronounced in England, where 11 percent of children were deprived of gifts, and least of all in Northern Ireland. Scotland, contrary to stereotypes of national stinginess and lewdness, was in the middle of this anti-ranking.
London turned out to be the most inaccessible place for Santa: in the poor northeast and northwest parts of the city, only half and 70 percent of the children received gifts. Therefore, according to scientists, social services in the UK should pay priority attention to these parts of the capital and other disadvantaged areas, where social and economic hardships destroy the festive atmosphere and lead to the development of depression in children and adults.
