If you ever wondered how the image of Santa Claus the most famous Christmas symbol evolved through the years, here is an interesting video essay from History Channel. It traces back Santa Claus origin from the 3rd century to the Santa Claus we have now.
ODIN -NORDIC MYTHOLOGY
The Nordic god Odin was the original bearded man who flew around delivering presents. (Yup, Thor's father was the original Santa) Carrying a spear and wearing a cloak, Odin rode across the sky on an eight-legged horse called Sleipnir during the Yule, delivering gifts to good people. He learned about the world, including who had been good and bad, through his black ravens, Huginn, and Muninn (Old Norse for ‘thought’ and ‘memory’). The Nords also credited Odin with gifting them a rune alphabet.
SAINT NICHOLAS OF MYRA- 4TH CENTURY
Saint Nicholas of Myra was a 4th-century Greek Christian bishop of Myra (now Demre) in Lycia, a province of the Byzantine Empire, now in Turkey. Nicholas was famous for his generous gifts to the poor, in particular presenting the three impoverished daughters of a pious Christian with dowries so that they would not have to become prostitutes. Usually portrayed as a bearded bishop in canonical robes,Nicolas had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, a practice celebrated on his feast day (6 December in the Gregorian calendar, in Western Christianity; 19 December in the Julian calendar, in Eastern Christianity).
During the Middle Ages, often on the evening before his name day of 6 December, children were bestowed gifts in his honour. This date was earlier than the original day of gifts for the children, which moved in the course of the Reformation and its opposition to the veneration of saints in many countries on the 24 and 25 December.
SINTERKLAAS - DUTCH AND BELGIAN FOLKLORE
David Sedaris has the most entertaining and funniest description of Sinterklaas. If you haven't heard about it or read the book, you have to watch the video bellow. If you have already it's worth watching over and over again during the holidays.
David Sedaris - Six To Eight Black Men
SANTA CLAUS
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus is a 1902 children's book, written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by Mary Cowles Clark.
In 1931 Archie Lee, the D'Arcy Advertising Agency executive working with The Coca-Cola Company, wanted the campaign to show a wholesome Santa who was both realistic and symbolic. So Coca-Cola commissioned Michigan-born illustrator Haddon Sundblom to develop advertising images using Santa Claus — showing Santa himself, not a man dressed as Santa.
FASHION SANTA - 2015 CANADA
Canadian retailer YORKDALE MALL created Fashion Santa and hired Toronto male model Paul Mason as the image of a very trim and stylist version of Santa Claus.
ODIN -NORDIC MYTHOLOGY
The Nordic god Odin was the original bearded man who flew around delivering presents. (Yup, Thor's father was the original Santa) Carrying a spear and wearing a cloak, Odin rode across the sky on an eight-legged horse called Sleipnir during the Yule, delivering gifts to good people. He learned about the world, including who had been good and bad, through his black ravens, Huginn, and Muninn (Old Norse for ‘thought’ and ‘memory’). The Nords also credited Odin with gifting them a rune alphabet.
SAINT NICHOLAS OF MYRA- 4TH CENTURY
Saint Nicholas of Myra was a 4th-century Greek Christian bishop of Myra (now Demre) in Lycia, a province of the Byzantine Empire, now in Turkey. Nicholas was famous for his generous gifts to the poor, in particular presenting the three impoverished daughters of a pious Christian with dowries so that they would not have to become prostitutes. Usually portrayed as a bearded bishop in canonical robes,Nicolas had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, a practice celebrated on his feast day (6 December in the Gregorian calendar, in Western Christianity; 19 December in the Julian calendar, in Eastern Christianity).
During the Middle Ages, often on the evening before his name day of 6 December, children were bestowed gifts in his honour. This date was earlier than the original day of gifts for the children, which moved in the course of the Reformation and its opposition to the veneration of saints in many countries on the 24 and 25 December.
SINTERKLAAS - DUTCH AND BELGIAN FOLKLORE
David Sedaris has the most entertaining and funniest description of Sinterklaas. If you haven't heard about it or read the book, you have to watch the video bellow. If you have already it's worth watching over and over again during the holidays.
David Sedaris - Six To Eight Black Men
SANTA CLAUS
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus is a 1902 children's book, written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by Mary Cowles Clark.
In 1931 Archie Lee, the D'Arcy Advertising Agency executive working with The Coca-Cola Company, wanted the campaign to show a wholesome Santa who was both realistic and symbolic. So Coca-Cola commissioned Michigan-born illustrator Haddon Sundblom to develop advertising images using Santa Claus — showing Santa himself, not a man dressed as Santa.
FASHION SANTA - 2015 CANADA
Canadian retailer YORKDALE MALL created Fashion Santa and hired Toronto male model Paul Mason as the image of a very trim and stylist version of Santa Claus.
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