Christmas Comparisons

If the holidays weren’t scary enough thinking about the billions of dollars being burned on materialistic clutter, hopefully, this version of St. Nick will raise a few hairs on both you and your children. Santa Claus is one of the most recognized figures around the world. The Father of Christmas, also known as Kris Kringle or simply Santa, is the legendary symbol of gift-giving all over the world but primarily in the homes of children in the United States. The modern-day “Santa Claus” is based on the 3rd-century patron saint, Saint Nicholas, whose origins lie in Turkey. He was said to be the heir of a fortune in which he would give away to the poor and sick. One of the best-known St. Nicholas stories is “the time he saved three poor sisters from being sold into slavery or prostitution by their father by providing them with a dowry so that they could be married.” In return for his charity, he is known as the “protector of children and sailors” and as one of the most popular saints in Europe. The latter name Santa Claus comes from its Dutch nickname “Sinter Klaas,” which is a short form of “Sint Nikolaas” (the Dutch translation of Saint Nicholas). His popularity in the US began in December of 1773. A New York newspaper reported about how Dutch immigrants would gather in their New York homes to celebrate the anniversary of Saint Nick’s death, and the story of Sinter Klaas was taken from there and spun into the holly jolly gift-giver we know today!

Now that you know that Santa did not always live in the North Pole surrounded by elves, it is safe to assume that the United States is not the only country with its own description of Santa Claus. In fact, the original Saint is believed to be a real man of Turkish descent while in America, he is only real in the hearts of children and the advertising of commercial goods for the holiday season. There are several different interpretations of the man in the red suit, and even popular culture in the US has its questions about St. Nick’s real intentions.

In the Netherlands and Belgium, Sinterklaas is considered a serious man. He is depicted wearing “a bishop’s alb and cape, a ruby ring, and he rides a white horse while often yielding a staff.” This visualization is somewhat religious and proves authority through his royal appearance, which may demand respect and loyalty. Sinterklaas has a dark-skinned, curly-haired companion who dresses in page attire named Zwarte Piet. His job, although creepy in retrospect, is to listen to family conversations through the chimney and report who’s been naughty or nice. The image provided of Zwarte Piet could be seen as a racist depiction of Santa’s “helper,” and something like this would ultimately cause controversy in present-day US. Luckily it is one of the many things that were not adopted, including the flying horse and the 3-weeks of random gift receiving. In 2018, a roaring amount of backlash was given for Zwarte Piet, otherwise known as “Black Pete” after the well-known Neo-Nazi uprise. National Geographic claims that “the exaggerated appearance of Dutch Zwarte Piet costumes may have also been influenced by American blackface minstrel shows, which toured throughout Europe in the mid-19th century”. Thanks to the media, the controversy of international racial stereotyping has brought attention to things such as Zwarte Piet’s deep tradition as a “Dutch thing” that outsiders wouldn’t understand.

Russia’s Santa is called Ded Moroz or Grandfather Frost. He lives and travels in the company of his granddaughter, Snegurochka, or “snowgirl,” and history tells that he was “an evil sorcerer who kidnapped children and demanded gifts as ransom.” Ded Moroz usually has a magical staff and a long, fur coat of either bright red or blue, which would be typical for the area's weather. Although associated with Christmas, the pair would travel in a horse (white) drawn carriage and arrive around New Years to hand out gifts in person. In 2013, state media bosses claim that Ded Moroz was not keeping with local traditions. The mainly Muslim nation had serious concerns with the fairytale attributes of this holiday character, and the notion was moved to keep Ded Moroz from appearing on national screens because of its conflict with national morals. This is a prime example of media control in not-so-free areas such as Tajikistan and Moscow.

Alarming as it may seem, many countries take pride in its mixture of fear and pleasure to bring in the Christmas spirit. From things like magic to infamous helpers such as Zwarte Piet and Krampus, there is certainly no specific way to celebrate. Overall, Christmas is supposed to be a joyous, sought-out holiday for the children to pass down to their children. This is how Christmas began, and this is how you keep Christmas alive around the world.