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78 From St. Nicholas to Santa Claus

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From St. Nicholas to Santa children, with no intention of adding to the Grandfather Frost (Ded Moroz) was a favored
fledgling Santa Claus phenomenon. It was figure of Christmas who had adopted
Claus: the surprising origins of
published anonymously the next year, and to this characteristics of proto-Santas like the Dutch
Kris Kringle day the plump, jolly Santa described therein Sinterklaas. "When the Soviet Union was
rides a sleigh driven by eight familiar reindeer. formed, the communists abolished the
Continued from Page 76 "It went viral," Bowler said. But familiar celebration of Christmas and gift bringers,"
as the poem is, it still leaves much to the Bowler said.
Then, during the early decades of the 19th imagination, and the 19th century saw Santa "Then in the 1930s, when Stalin needed
century, all that changed thanks to a series of appear in different-colored clothing, in sizes to build support, he allowed the reemergence of
poets and writers who strove to make Christmas from miniature to massive, and in a variety of Grandfather Frost not as a Christmas gift bringer
a family celebration—by reviving and remaking different guises. "I have a wonderful picture of but as a New Year's gift bringer," Bowler added.
St. Nicholas. him that looks exactly like George Washington Attempts to displace Christmas in Russia were
riding a broomstick," Bowler said. ultimately unsuccessful, as were Soviet attempts
Who Was Saint Nicholas? It wasn't until the late 19th century, he to spread a secular version of Grandfather Frost,
Washington Irving's 1809 book added, that the image of Santa became complete with blue coat to avoid Santa
Knickerbocker's History of New York first standardized as a full-size adult, dressed in red confusion, across Europe.
portrayed a pipe-smoking Nicholas soaring over with white fur trim, venturing out from the "Everywhere they went after World War
the rooftops in a flying wagon, delivering North Pole in a reindeer-driven sleigh and II, the Soviets tried to replace the native gift
presents to good girls and boys and switches to keeping an eye on children's behavior. bringers in places like Poland or Bulgaria,"
bad ones. The jolly, chubby, grandfatherly face of Bowler explained. "But local people just sort of
In 1821 an anonymous illustrated poem this Santa was largely created by Thomas Nast, held their noses until the Soviet Union collapsed
entitled "The Children's Friend" went much the great political cartoonist in an era that in 1989 and returned to their own traditions."
further in shaping the modern Santa and featured many. "However, Nast did leave him Santa remains a politicized figure around
associating him with Christmas. "Here we half-sized," Bowler added, "and in what I think the world. American troops spread their version
finally have the appearance of a Santa Claus," are rather indecent long johns." of the jolly man around the world in the years
Bowler said. "They've taken the magical gift- Once firmly established, North immediately following World War II, and he was
bringing of St. Nicholas, stripped him of any America's Santa then underwent a kind of generally welcomed, Bowler said, as a symbol
religious characteristics, and dressed this Santa reverse migration to Europe, replacing the scary of American generosity in rebuilding war-
in the furs of those shaggy Germanic gift gift bringers and adopting local names like Père ravaged lands.
bringers." Noël (France) or Father Christmas (Great Nowadays, however, people in many
That figure brought gifts to good girls Britain). "What he's done is pretty much tame nations have Santa on their own naughty list,
and boys, but he also sported a birch rod, the these Grimm's Fairy Tales-type characters from either because he represents the secular side of
poem noted, that "directs a Parent's hand to use the late medieval days," Bowler said. Christmas at the expense of the religious.
when virtue's path his sons refuse." Santa's thin Sometimes Santa is rejected because he's not a
wagon was pulled by a single reindeer—but The Santa problem local. "In places like the Czech Republic, the
both driver and team would get a major Though he undoubtedly means well, Netherlands, Austria, and Latin America, they
makeover the next year. Santa has certainly stirred up, and continues to all have very strong anti-Santa movements
In 1822 Clement Clarke Moore wrote "A create, more than his fair share of controversy. because they are trying to preserve their native
Visit From St. Nicholas," better known today as In Russia, Santa Claus fell afoul of Josef Christmas gift bringers and customs, and protect
"The Night Before Christmas," for his six Stalin. Before the Russian Revolution, them from the North American Santa," he said.[]