December, the last month of the calendar year. Now as the year is coming to a close, we can reflect on the obstacles and triumphs that 2021 has brought us. One of the many ways we can reflect back on our year with the people we care most about is through holiday celebrations, which mainly occur at this time. The main holidays that people celebrate are Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanza. Christmas is the most celebrated holiday around the world with over two billion participants in over 160 countries.
Christmas is the time of year Christians celebrate with their friends and family and rejoice over the birth of Jesus Christ. While this is the true, symbolic meaning of the holiday, many different interpretations and traditions have taken place over the past centuries that have created the Christmas that people today know about and celebrate. One of these traditions is the idea of Santa Claus — a magical being who delivers presents to all the good children around the world in one night on his sleigh and gives out coal to the children who were naughty throughout the year.
The origins of Santa Claus can be traced back hundreds of years to a monk named St. Nicholas. He traveled the countryside in Turkey to help those in need — saving girls from being sold into slavery or prostitution and helping the old and sick. He is known as the protector of children and sailors, and from St. Nicholas came the creation of the mythical being, Santa Claus. For most people in the United States, Santa is known as a jolly older man who wears a red and white suit and loves to drink milk and eat cookies at each of the houses he visits. However, the idea of Santa changes for every culture and country around the world making Christmas a more unique holiday than originally thought.
Many countries around the globe have their own versions of a “Santa Claus” often rooted in the countries own cultural history. In Russia and Ukraine, they have two figures: Ded Moroz and Snegurochka, also known as Father Frost and Snow Maiden, respectfully. Depicted as either a wizard or demon, his roots come from Slavic mythology, and he is known to kidnap children that were naughty. In many Hispanic countries, such as Spain and Mexico, children look forward to receiving a visit from three figures named Melchor, Gaspar or Baltasar. They are known as magi, or three wise men, who receive letters from children asking for presents, as well as leave out offerings, like candy, by their shoes. In the morning, the offerings are replaced with gifts.
In Norway, inspired by Norwegian folklore, they have the Julenissen. The Julenissen is Christmas pixies or elves, who act as spirit guides over the farmlands in Norway and give gifts to children. In Finland, they have the Joulupukki or the Yule Goat, also known as the Finnish Santa! Based on Scandinavian customs and traditions, the Joulupukki was an evil spirit, associated with the Norse god, Odin, who demanded gifts from people who celebrated the Yuletide feast. In the modern-day, the Yule Goat is combined with the American version of Santa Claus, so the Yule Goat is tamer and gives children gifts.
Finally, in France, they have a figure known as Père Noël. Every year, children leave their shoes by the door so Père Noël can leave gifts by them after the Christmas Eve mass. According to lore, he also travels with a malevolent partner, named Père Fouettard, also known as “the whipping father,” who spanks and punishes any child who was naughty throughout the year.
Christmas and the legend of Santa Claus have a long, historic past throughout human history and spans across different cultures. While the traditions for Christmas might differ from individual to individual, celebrating with those who you love and are close with this holiday season is what is most important!