In most English-speaking countries, the symbolic figure of Christmas is known as Father Christmas. In other countries there are similar figures with the same, or slightly different names. For example in France, the person is known as Pere Noel, in Spain Papa Noel, in Portugal Pai Natal and in Italy he is known as Babbo Natale. In centuries past, Father Christmas was also known in England as Sir Christmas, Old Father Christmas or Lord Christmas. Father Christmas is said to live in Lapland, a part of Finland.
The character Father Christmas influenced the development of Santa Claus in the USA and nowadays the names are considered to be interchangeable. Although historically the characters have merged, they actually have different origins. For the sake of authenticity, the authors Tolkien and CS Lewis insist on using the name Father Christmas instead of Santa Claus.
Personifying Christmas as an elderly male figure began in the early part of the 17th century. Puritans had criticised the observation of Christmas and so Father Christmas was devised by way of resistance to their rigid beliefs. Father Christmas is depicted as elderly because the feast itself dates back many centuries and its defenders saw it as a custom that should be preserved. Old Christmas was used as his name as allegory at the time and also was very popular.
History of Father Christmas
It was around the year 1616 that Father Christmas first appeared, in Ben Jonson’s creation Christmas His Masque in which the character appears with a long beard. Later, in 1638, he is depicted as an old man with a gown and cap in Thomas Nabbes, The Springs Glorie. Over the next 250 years the character turns up in various guises and one book even shows him having had far too much to drink – a sideways swipe at the motives of the Puritans.
Pictures of Father Christmas date back as far as the 17th century. He is shown at this time as a well-nourished man with a beard and dressed in a fur-lined green robe. He typifies good cheer at Christmas. He was also reflected in the Ghost of Christmas Present in, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. This genial character takes Ebenezer Scrooge through London streets to shower good cheer onto the good people of London, especially the poor.
The Customs and Traditions of Father Christmas
Customs and traditions relating to Father Christmas vary from country to country. Children in Britain often visit Father Christmas nowadays at a shopping centre and tell him what they would like for Christmas. On the night before Christmas Day it is customary for children in the USA and Britain to leave out a sherry and mince pie for Father Christmas. If these items are still there in the morning, of course, it means he hasn’t been! But this never happens! Many parents sign their presents from Santa Claus or Father Christmas and leave them under the tree for excited children to see on Christmas morning.
In Canada, America, Australia and Britain some children also leave out a carrot for the tired reindeers who pull the sleigh. It used to be a custom that children who were naughty were told that they would receive a lump of coal in their Christmas stocking but this idea seems to have disappeared. In The Netherlands children leave hay and carrots in their shoes for Santa’s horse before they go to bed. The following morning the carrots and hay will have been replaced by a present.
Santa Claus stories and songs are part of the Christmas rituals in the USA and other rituals include children putting their stockings on the mantelpiece. Here Santa will see them when he comes down the chimney. Those without a fireplace have to remember to leave the door unlocked and little children cannot help themselves but to look up at the skies to see if they can get a glimpse of Santa’s sleigh.
In other countries, the traditions vary but the basic theme of a Christmas character are similar. For instance, in Japan a priest called Hoteiosha brings gifts to children. In Sweden, Tomte is a gnome who lives underneath the floor of the house. He rides on a sleigh which is pulled by a goat. Tomte carries lots of presents and distributes them in the same way as Father Christmas does.
In Denmark, Julemanden is the equivalent of Father Christmas. He arrives in a sleigh in exactly the same way. However, there is a bit more to the story as little Christmas elves are believed to live in attics in Denmark and children leave out saucers of milk for them.
In Eastern Europe, according to legend, a character called Grandfather Frost travels in a decorated sleigh which is pulled through the sky by three horses. The Snow Maiden accompanies him and he visits homes and leaves gifts out for the children whilst they sleep. He does not travel down chimneys but comes through front doors.
In the Northern part of Spain, the Basque people have their own Christmas traditions. Pere Noel is known in the North but, both sides of the Pyrenees mountains, there is another character called Olentzero. He was a coal worker who went to Bethlehem to see Jesus and it is said that he brings gifts on Christmas Eve to all those people who have behaved well throughout the year.
South America is predominantly Roman Catholic. However, the custom of giving presents and other secular customs have been handed down from their forebears and, as well as this, there is an increasing American influence on the culture here. In Chile, Viejo Pascuero resembles Father Christmas and in Brazil Papai Noel is a similar character. The old men dress in lighter clothes than Father Christmas though, reflecting the warmer weather in this part of the world. Here the character enters homes by various means including trampolines and ladders!
In Colombia Christmas is a religious holiday and presents are given, not by father Christmas (Papa Noel) but by Baby Jesus (El Nino Dios). However, Santa is still important and decorations depicting him are common. He is also seen posing for photographs in shopping centres.
