Santa Claus
Santa Claus is known as St. Nicholas, Father Christmas ( father of Christmas ), Chris Kringle, or just " Santa ". From a mythological and historical point of view, he is a man popular in folk tales.
In many Western cultures, it is believed that Santa Christmas on Eve, December 24.
Santa Claus is usually depicted as a fat, cheerful white-bearded man who wears a red coat with a white collar and cuffs, along with a leather black belt and boots (some of his images include beards. But not a mustache). The image became popular in the United States and Canada in the 19th century. The then political cartoonist Thomas Nast contributed significantly to popularizing this image. This image has been maintained through songs, radio, television, children's books, and films.
In the United Nations and Europe, he is often depicted as American Santa Claus, but he is often called Father Christmas.
According to famous folklore associated with Santa Claus, he lives in a snowy country in a far north region. According to the American version of Santa Claus, he lives in his home at the North Pole, while it is often said that Father Christmas is Finland lives in the mountains of Korwatunturi in Lapland province. Santa Claus lives with his wife, Mrs. Claus. He is accompanied by an unspecified but large number of elves and at least eight or nine flying reindeer.
Another folklore that is prevalent in the song "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" makes a list of children from all over the world, placing them in different categories according to their behavior ("naughty" and "good"). And on Christmas Eve night, all the good boys and girls in the world give toys, candies, and other gifts and sometimes give coal to naughty children. For this, he enlists the help of one of his dwarves who makes toys for him at the workshop, and Reindeer pulls out his car.
Origin
Early Christian origins
He was a fourth-century Greek Christian bishop of Myra (now Demere) in Lycia, a province of Byzantine Anatolia. This province is now in Turkey. Nicholas was famous for gifting poor people with generous hearts, especially giving dowry to the three daughters of a pious Christian, to prevent them from becoming prostitutes. He was of a very religious nature from an early age and devoted his entire life to Christianity.
In Europe (especially in the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, and Germany ) he is still represented as a bearded bishop in Christianity. Italian of Bari, in 1087The city, wanted to start the then profitable pilgrimage industry. The city began a campaign to build the grave of this Christian saint and establish his remains.
The tomb of St. Nicholas was looted by Italian sailors, including their remains, desecrated, bringing these remains to Bari where they are kept to this day. St. Nicholas of Myra is primarily inspired by the Christian figure of Sinterklaas.
To store this loot, a basilica was built this year and the area became a pilgrimage center for the devotees, thus the campaign proved to be economically justified. Irish historians say that his remains were brought again from Italy to Jerpoint Abbey in County Kilkenny, where his grave can still be seen today.
Later diverse groups ranging from archers, sailors, and children to moneylenders claimed that St. Nicholas was a patron saint. He is also the patron saint of both Amsterdam and Moscow.
German pagan influences and folklore
Odin was sometimes recorded as a great hunting party in the skies, on the native holiday of Yule, Germany. Two books from Iceland, Poetic Edda which was compiled from early sources in the 13th century, and Prose Edda, written by Snorri Sturluson in the 13th century, describe Odin. Among them is an eight-legged horse named Odin Sleipnir, who can leap a long-distance, comparable to the reindeer of Santa Claus.
In addition, Odin has been addressed by several names in Scaldic poems. There are many similarities between Santa Claus and Odin. Odin was a major deity of the people of Germany before Christianity. Since many of these elements are not related to Christianity, some theories relate to the pagan origins of the traditions in the regions where the people of Germany were converted to Christianity and their original traditions persisted in them, the same illustration Santa The modern description of Clauses is seen in different forms.
According to some traditions, children fill carrots, straws, or sugar in their boots and place them near the chimney to eat Odin's flying horse, Sleipnir. Odin places Sleipnir's food as gifts and candies for the children to reward their kindness to the children. This practice persisted after the adoption of Christianity in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands, and as a result of the process of Christianity, it became related to Saint Nicholas. This practice can still be seen in the modern practice of hanging stockings on the chimney in many homes.
Pre-Christian Alpine traditions
Originating from pre-Christian Alpine traditions and later influenced by the arrival of Christianity, Krampus is represented as a companion of St. Nicholas. Traditionally, some youth dress up in Kreps in the first two weeks of December, especially on the evening of December 5, and roam the streets scaring children (and adults) with rusted chains and bells.
Dutch folklore
However, in the Netherlands the Dutch celebrate the festival on the evening of 5 December, it is called "Pakjesavond".Assistants in the Netherlands and Belgium help St. Nicholas ("Sinterklaas", often called "de Godne Sint" "good saint"). These assistants are commonly called Jvarte Pete ("Black Peter") in Dutch or "Pere Fotard" in French.
On 6 December, many countries celebrate their feast by giving gifts.
During the sixteenth – seventeenth century Renaissance in Europe, many Protestants and many others replaced the gift-giver. Now gifts were brought by a Christian child or Christkind . The date of receiving the gift was also changed. Now gifts started being brought on Christmas Eve instead of 6th December.
The folklore of St. Nicholas is also in vogue with several German mythologies, most notably those of the god Odin.
In these, a bearded servant, wearing a cap, carries a spear (nowadays stick). He also has a bag of clothes to hold mischievous children. St. Nicholas and Odin both ride white horses, these horses can fly in the air; Odin's white is an eight-legged white horse, named Sleipnir (although Sleipnir is mostly painted gray). Letters made from candi given to children by Javarte Peyton inspire the discovery of Odin's rune letters. The poems performed during the festival and the songs performed by the children demonstrate that Odin is the god of poetry.
The character of Santa Claus of the Netherlands and Belgium, as is known in the United States (with his white beard and red dress, etc.) is de Karsten ("The Christmas Men") in Dutch and Pere Noël ("Father" in French Christmas "). He is different from Sinterklaas, although they both wear red dresses and both have white beards.
Although the Netherlands mainly gifts Sinterklaas to children in December (36 percent of the population gifts only on Sinterklaas Day), one-fifth of the Dutch population presents on Christmas. (21 percent give gifts only on Christmas day). 26 percent of Dutch people give gifts on both days.
In Belgium, gifts are given only to children, but almost all of them are given on Sinter Klaas Day.
On Christmas Day, everyone gets presents, but often these gifts come without the help of Santa Claus.
Modern origins
"The second visitor to Scrooge" is A version of Charles Dickens's festive classic A Christmas Carol (1843) by John Leach. The depiction of characters from church history and folklore to gifted characters, especially St. Nicholas and Sinter Klaas, has been merged with the British character Father Christmas, revealing a new character called Santa Claus by the people of Britain and America.
Is known as The character of Father Christmas is believed to have been popular in Britain in the 17th century. His photographs exist since that time. These photographs show him as a cheerful, bearded man who is wearing a long, green, full-laced dress. She displayed a good sense of Christmas and was reflected as the "ghost of Christmas presents".
In Charles Dickens's festive classic A Christmas Carol, a sociable man in a coat with green fur is greeting people in the streets of London on Christmas morning, Christmas.
According to a pagan image that still exists, the original character who brought gifts at the time of Christmas in the Nordic countries was the Yule goat, which was initially depicted with horns.
In other countries, depictions of St. Nicholas have also been mixed in local folklore.
However, in 1840, "Tomte" and "Nissé" began to give gifts in Denmark, according to a Nordicology. Tomte is depicted as a short, bearded man with a gray dress and red cap. The new version of this character from centuries-old folklore was apparently inspired by the traditions of Santa Claus, which was now spreading in Scandinavia. By the end of the 19th century, this tradition had replaced the Yule goat in Norway and Sweden.
Something similar happened in Finland, but there remained many human characters, whose name was on the Yule goat. But even though the tradition of the Yule goat as a gift-giver is now extinct, the straw goat is still used as a common Christmas decoration throughout Scandinavia.
American change
In the British colonies of North America, and later the United States, British and Dutch versions of the giver merged into each other. For example, in Washington Irving's History of New York, (1809), Sinterklaas changed from American form to "Santa Claus" (a name first used in the American press in 1773). But he lost his bishop's costume, he was first depicted as a rough-bellied Dutch sailor, wearing a winter coat of green and carrying pipes.
Irving's book was a satire on New York's Dutch culture, and much of his portrait reflects his satire.
In 1821, the book A New Year's Present was published in New York for children between the ages of five and twelve. It contains the poem Old Santeclause, which details an old man who brings gifts for children on a carriage of reindeer. After the publication of the poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" (today known as "The Night Before Christmas"), the modern canon concept of Santa Claus became.
On 23 December 1823, Clement Clarke Moore was described in a poem called Sentinel in Troy, New York. Many of his modern forms are mentioned in this poem, such as riding in a car, entering through a chimney, and bringing a bag full of toys. St. Nick is depicted as "a chubby and fat, a cheerful old man who has" a small round belly "," shakes when he laughs ", instead of" buggy "and" small. " The reindeer "still indicate that he is physically weak. The reindeer are also given various names like dasher, dancer, prancer, vixen, comet, cupid, gender, and Blixen." Donor and Blitzen).
As time went by, Santa Claus developed into a large, heavy man in popular culture.
One of the first artists to define the modern image of Santa Claus was Thomas Nast, an American 19th-century cartoonist.
In 1863, a picture of Santa made by Nast was published in Harper's Weekly.
A boy from Colorado who used to write in the children's magazine The Nursery in the late 1874s said, "If we hadn't lived so far from the North Pole, I would have asked Santa Claus to give me a horse." Santa Claus lives at the North Pole, presumably, the story was created by Nast. His Christmas image in Harper's edition of 29 December 1866 featured a collage, titled Santa Claus and His Works, with the captain "Santa Claus village, n.p." Was also involved.
A colorful collection of Nast's photographs was published in 1869, with the poem "Santa Claus and His Works" written by Georg P. Webster. It wrote that Santa Claus' house was "in the snow, near the North Pole". This story became quite popular by the 1870s.
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, a children's book written in 1902 by L. Frank Boom, later popularized Santa Claus. Not many legends about Santa Claus were composed until Boom wrote "Neckloss", A Home in the Laughing Valley of Hahaha, and Ten Reindeer. These reindeer could not fly but could fly large.
The character of Clause had become immortal by now, his name ("Santa") had also become immortal. This work also established Santa's objectives. It was intended: to establish a happy childhood amid immortality. When Master Woodsman of the World, AK realizes the poverty and grief of the children of the outside world, Santa attempts to take a happy lane in the lives of all children and eventually discovers toys to make them happy.
Images of Santa Claus later became more popular when Heddon Sandblom portrayed him for a Coca-Cola Company Christmas advertisement in 1930. The popularity of the image led to some urban legends that Santa Claus was discovered by the Coca-Cola Company or that Santa wears red and white clothes because the use of these colors to promote the Coca-Cola brand Is done for.
Historically, Coca-Cola was not the first company to manufacture soft drinks that used the modern image of Santa Claus for its advertising — before 1915 White Rock used Santa's image to sell beverages mineral water. And then the same company used Santa's image in 1923 to advertise their Ginger.
In addition, Coca-Cola's advertising campaign popularized the image of Santa in red and white, in contrast to the many colors he wore before the campaign; The red and white dress was originally given by Nast.
The idea of Santa Claus' wife was probably presented by American writers in the early to mid-1800s.
In 1889, poet Catherine Lee Bates made Mrs. Claus very popular in her poem "Goody Santa Claus on a Slide Ride". George Melacrino's popular song "Mrs. Santa Claus" in 1956 and the children's book How Mrs. Santa Claus Saved Christmas, written by Phyllis Meck Guinley in 1963, made Mrs. Santa Claus's character very popular, as a standard character Established in The image of Santa Claus became more popular as a benevolent character due to Santa's association with charities and charities.
The use of Santa's image, particularly by organizations such as Army Liberation, made him popular as a liberal character. At Christmas time, volunteers usually dressed in Santa Claus and started collecting funds to help needy families.
In some images taken from the early 20th century, Santa is shown making toys with his own hands, making toys in his small workshop like a craftsman in these images. Later the idea emerged that he had many elves who made toys for him, but still the toys were traditionally hand-made by each elf.
The concept of Santa Claus has always inspired writers and artists, with author Seabury Quinn's 1948 novel Rhodes giving historical stories about Santa's story and the origins of Christmas. Other modern versions of Santa's story include Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer. It is the ninth and leading reindeer, which appears in the song Gene Ottery, written by the Montgomery Ward copywriter.
"Is there a Santa Claus?" It was the title of an editorial article published in the New York Sun on September 21, 1987.
The editorial article, which has a well-known answer, yes, Virginia, here is Santa Claus, has become an indelible part of popular Christmas lore in the United States and Canada.
Chimney Traditions
The tradition of Santa Claus entering the house through the chimney has changed a bit, now St. Nicholas tosses the coin out of a window, and in a later version of this story, when he finds the window closed, he Tosses the coin under the chimney.
In Dutch artist, Jan Stein's painting, The Feast of St. Nicholas, children and adults are looking at the chimney with surprise, while some more children are playing with their toys. The stove was considered sacred as a source of belief in primary concepts and according to a popular concept, elves and fairies brought gifts into the house through this portal. Santa's entry into the house through the chimney on Christmas Eve was a part of American traditions. Description of Murray's A Visit from St. NicholasIn which the author describes himself as a yogini.
In popular culture
By the end of the 20th century, the reality of mass mechanized production was accepted by the Western public.
This change is reflected in the modern description of Santa's residence - his home is now often shown as equipped with modern manufacturing technology, equipped with a fully mechanized production and distribution facility, with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus with elves. Are depicted as officers and/or managers. The same description is illustrated in an excerpt from a 2004 article in the supply chain managers' trade journal.
Santa's main distribution center is a sight to behold. At 4,000,000 sq ft. It's One Of The World's Largest Facilities K A real-time warehouse management system is of course required to run such a complex. The facility makes extensive use of task interleaving, literally combining dozens of DC activities (putaway, replenishing, order picking, sleigh loading, cycle counting) in a dynamic queue ... the DC elves have been on engineered standards and incentives for three years, leading to a 12% gain in productivity...
The WMS and transportation system are fully integrated, allowing (the elves) to make optimal decisions that balance transportation and order picking and other DC costs. Unbeknownst to many, Santa actually has to use many sleighs and fake Santa drivers to get the job done Christmas Eve, and the TMS optimally builds thousands of consolidated sacks that maximize cube utilization and minimize total air miles.
Many TV commercials, comic strips, and other media sources describe it as a humorous trade. Which Santa's elves are sometimes shown to be satanic, making jokes and making fun of their bosses. For example, in an early Bloom County story, Santa tells a story of how his dwarves go on strike, are fired by Ronald Reagan, and replace unemployed aircraft control workers.
The Sopranos In the episode, "....... to save us all from the power of the devil", Paulie Gualtieri says she "thought that Santa and Mrs. Claus ran a shop. The original elves were ugly. , He went with Santa and gave gifts to good children and not bad children. "
In Kyrgyzstan, a hilltop was named after Santa Claus. Earlier, a Swedish company had reported that the place could be a more effective place to start traveling around the world than Lepland.
On December 30, 2007, the Santa Claus Festival was celebrated in Kyrgyz's capital, Bishkek, in which government officials took part. The year 2008 was officially designated the year of Santa Claus in this country. These events are believed to have boosted tourism in Kyrgyzstan, primarily because it is a Muslim country.
The Guinness World Record for collecting the largest number of Santa Clauses is held in the name of Derry Sharah, Northern Ireland.
On 9 September 2007. A total of 12,965 people wore Santa's attire before 3,921 wore Santa's ally in 2005 during the Santa Dash ceremony at Liverpool City Center.
In 2009 in Bucharest, Romania, a gathering of Santa tried to make a world record but they failed because of making 3939 Santa short.
Traditional and Rituals
Children around the world perform many rituals related to Santa Claus in hopes of receiving a gift from him. Some rituals (such as going to a department store Santa) are performed a few days or weeks before Christmas. While many other rituals are performed on Christmas Eve itself, such as making a special breakfast for Santa.
Some rituals are centuries old, such as hanging stockings, so that they are filled with gifts. Some of the other rituals are modern in nature such as the discovery of Santa's car by Norad in the night sky on Christmas Eve.
Parades, department stores, and shopping malls
Santa Claus begins appearing in department stores or shopping malls or at parties several weeks before Christmas. The credit for this practice goes to James Edgar, as he introduced the practice in 1890 at his Massachusetts department store, Brocton.
An artist often does this by wearing Santa's dress. Some others (often mall employees) help Santa by dressing up other characters from folk tales and elves.
During this time, Santa distributes small gifts to the children and advertises the store, and sits on his knees listening to the wishes of the children, so that they can be made to feel the celebration. (This practice is in Britain and Switzerland and Is being seen in many organizations of the day).
Sometimes a picture of a child is taken with Santa. Photographing Santa with children is a ritual that began in 1918.
Often when Santa is found to be fake, he reveals that he is not the real Santa and that he is just helping them. Most young children understand this because they think that the real Santa will be very busy because of Christmas. At family parties, sometimes the male head of the household or another male member wears Santa's costume. For this purpose, the place is decorated festively, usually with a large throne placed here, which is given the name "Grotto of Santa," or "Workshop of Santa," or something similar.
In the United States, The most notable of these is Santa at Messi's store in New York City - he arrives at the store on his last flight, Messi's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and his court is set in a large section of the store's floor. Messi's Santa Claus is often considered the real Santa. Essayist David Sedaris is known to satirize Santa. He is said to have written some diaries while working at Messi's display. Later by him These written phrases were broadcast on radio or published.
Template: File many schools give guidelines on how to act like Santa Claus. For example, children's television producer Jonathan Meath studied at the International School of Santa Claus and received a Master of Santa Claus degree in 2006. This proved to be his second career, and after appearing in parades and malls, he appeared on the cover of America's monthly Boston Magazine as Santa.
There are also many associations whose members portray Santa; For example, Mr. Meath is a board member of an international organization called the Fraternal Order of Real Bearded Santas.
Writing to Santa
Many postal services provide children with the facility to send letters to Santa Claus. These letters are responded to by postal workers and/or by outside volunteers. Writing letters for Santa Claus has been a Christmas tradition among children for many years.
In these letters, children often express their desire for toys and promise to behave well. Some social scientists have found that boys and girls write different types of letters. Girls usually write longer but more polite lists and express the nature of Christmas more than boys. Girls often request gifts for others.
According to a 2007 study by the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and a survey of the National Postal Operation, the United States Postal Services (USPS) is the oldest national postal system to respond to letters sent to Santa.
An attempt to respond to letters sent to Santa by the U. S. P. S. was started in 1912 and has been called " Operation Santa " since 1940, an operation that ensures that Santa is sent The letters should reach the charitable organizations, and big corporations, local businesses, and individuals. So that by answering these letters, the children's holiday dreams can be made true.
Children Who North PoleBut wishing to take a holiday, they are sent a letter or holiday greeting card from Santa through the USPS on December 10, to which: North Pole Holiday Postmark, Postmaster, 4141 Postmark DR, Anchorage, AK 99530-9998
In 2006, according to a 2007 study by UPU and a survey of National Postal Operations, France's Postal Services received the highest number of letters for Santa Claus or "Pere Noyle", and 1,220,000 were sent from 126 countries.
In 2007 the Postal Services of France made an appointment exclusively. So that a large number of letters coming from Russia for Santa Claus can be answered. According to the 2007 study of UPU and the survey of National Postal Operations, there is some interesting information about letters sent to Santa:
- Countries whose national postal operators respond to letters sent to Santa or sent for other holidays at the end of the year include the number of letters received in 2006: Germany (500,000), Australia (117,000), Austria (6,000 ), Bulgaria (500), Canada (1,060,000), Spain (232,000), United States (figures are not counted because the figures are not counted), Finland (750,000), France (1,220,000), Great Britain (750,000), Ireland (100,000), New Zealand (110,000), Portugal (255,000), Poland (3,000), Slovakia (85,000), Sweden (150,000), Switzerland (17,863), Ukraine (5,019).
- In 2006, Finland's national postal operations received letters from 150 countries (which accounted for 90 percent of the total letters), France's Postal Services received letters from 126 countries, Germany from 80 countries, and Slovakia from 20 countries.
- In 2007, Canada Post responded to these letters in 26 languages and Deutsche Post responded to these letters in 16 languages.
- Some national postal operators reply to these letters by e-mail.
Nevertheless, the number of letters sent to Santa exceeds the number of e-mail messages sent to him. This proves that children still like writing letters more.
National Postal operators who provide an online web form to send messages to Santa (with or without a written email address) and receive replies to them, including Canada Post (online in English and French) Web Request Form), France's Postal Services (Online Web Request Form in the French Language) and New Zealand Post (Online Web Request Form in English).
Canada Post has a special postal code for letters sent to Santa Claus and since 1982, over 13000 Canadian postal workers have been voluntarily replying to these letters. His address is Santa Claus, North Pole, Canada H0H 0H0. (This postal code, in which zeroes are often used for "O", is compatible with alternative letter-number models of all Canadian postal codes.) Sometimes responses to letters from poor communities or children's hospitals The children's charity associations send them gifts they would never have received otherwise.
Some people in Britain have the tradition that Christmas letters are burned in a fire. It is believed that these letters will magically reach the North Pole. Although this practice is less effective than the use of the general postal service and this tradition continues to fade in modern times, only a few houses are set on fire.
Recently the National Postal Service Royal Mail has expanded its delivery system to include Santa Claus' address and its allocated postcode. The full address in 2010 is Santa Claus, Reindeer Land, SANTA1.
In Mexico and other Latin American countries, apart from the mail, children sometimes wrap their letters in a small helium balloon, releasing them into the air. They think that this letter will reach Santa by magic.
In the past years, the Finnish Santa Claus (Joulupukki or "Yule Goat") has received more than eight million letters. He receives more than 600,000 letters every year from more than 150 countries. Children from Great Britain, Poland, and Japan write the most letters.
The Santa Claus of Finnish lives in Korvatunturi, although the main post office of Santa Claus is in Rovaniemi near the Arctic Circle. His address is Santa Claus, Main Post Office, Santa's Workshop Village, FIN-96930 Arctic Circle.
Letters are also sent to children by private agencies and organizations, sometimes public and private cooperative enterprises send replies to their letters to children.
Two examples of private agencies and organizations are " Letters from Santa Claus " and " Free Letters From Santa Claus ". Public and private cooperative ventures in Beijing provide an opportunity for migrant and local children and parents to receive postmark emails and greeting cards in December.
Examples of these ventures are the People's Republic of China under the China Trade Commission, The Finnish Embassy in Beijing, the Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, Finland, and the Beijing International Post Office of the People's Republic of China Postal System.
Parents can also order a personalized "Santa letter" for their children, often with a postmark of the North Pole on it.
The "Santa letter" market usually relies on the Internet rather than retail stores to order such letters.
In many countries, stamp collectors and others send their Christmas letters to post offices, with their messages being postmarked. Examples of this in the United States are Christmas (Florida), Bethlehem (Merrill and), Hope, Nazareth (Michigan), St. Joseph (Missouri), and Snow Shoe (Pennsylvania).
In Canada: Christmas Island (Nova Scotia).
Examples in Europe: Berne Bethelheim (Switzerland), St. Nicholas (Germany), Christkindl (Austria). Santa Tracking, Santa Websites, and Emails to and from Santa.
Over the years, many websites have been created by many organizations, with the help of tracking Santa Claus with radar and other trekking techniques. Prominent Santa tracker players are the Norad Tracks Santa Program, which has become popular as a "major" effort to track Santa. (Along with being the oldest, its web presence has also existed since 1997, the program was started on 24 December 1955). The GLONASS Tracks Father Frost Project (one of the newest programs started in 2009) is also a Santa tracker program.
Other Santa Tracker efforts include: The Dallas / Fort Worth International Airport Track Santa Project, The MSNBC and Bing Maps Platform Tracks Santa Project, The Air Service Australia Tracks Santa Project, The Santa Speaking Project, The Santa Update Project, The NASA Tracks Santa Project, and The Santa Retro Radar-Lehigh Valley Project (hosted by Frank and Debi de Freitas from 1997 to 2009.
The Tracking Now Internet And it can be done through NORAD's website. The NORAD Track Santa website showed between 1998 and 2005 that Santa had arrived in Newfoundland in Canada. A flight from the Canadian Air Force Fighters (as of the CF-18 Hornets 2005 ) brought Santa and ensured that he had no problems with the Air Defense Identification Zone during a flight from Canada.
Canada Norad region still appoints Escort pilots for Santa Claus' annual Christmas Eve trip, one of those pilots appointed even in those years when Santa Cam Video for their escorts duties Not shown In 1955, a Sears Roebuck store in Colorado Springs, Colorado, gave the children a "Santa Hotline" number on which they could call.
The number was mistakenly mistyped and the children were calling the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) instead of Santa on Christmas Eve. The director of this operation, Colonial Harry Shoup, took a child's first call to Santa, telling the children that the radar was giving some indication that Santa had moved from the North Pole to the South Pole.
In 1958, Canada and the United States jointly formed the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) and from that year tracked Santa Claus for children.
In the past, many local television stations in the United States and Canada tracked Santa Claus through the meteorology of the station to their own metropolitan areas.
In December 2000, the Weather Channel was created based on this local effort to provide a national Christmas Eve Santa trekking effort. It was built in collaboration with NASA, International Space Station, and Silicon Valley-based new multimedia firm Dream Time Holdings and named "Santavach".
In the 21st century, most local television stations in the United States and Canada "outsourced" the effort to track Santa. They relied on external Santa trekking efforts such as the Norad Track Santa Program.
There are many other websites available throughout the year that are devoted to Santa Claus and monitor his activities in his workshops. Most of these websites also have email addresses. This postal service is a modern way of letter writing, allowing children to send mail to Santa Claus.
Examples of websites that provide these facilities are the Santa Claus Village and the Santa Claus Office. for Finnish Santa Claus, located in Finland, Lapland, Rovaniemi (Joulupukki or "Yule Goat"), near the Arctic Circle.
Most of these Santa Claus, Christmas, and Winter Holiday websites use volunteers, who reply to emails sent to Santa by becoming "elves", to respond. Some websites, such as Santa's page on Microsoft Windows Live Spaces, have used "bots" to send emails and replies to messages from Santa, or they still use "bots" today.
In December 2010, a commentator responded humorously to the letters sent to Santa on CBC.CA as "Chris Kringle".
Two organizations that handle email messages sent to and from Santa Claus are Canada Post (Canada Post Office) and the official Santa Mail. He has also been a Norad Tracks Santa partner and corporate sponsor.
From 2009 to now, the telephony, TV, and Internet focus has become an opportunity for AT&T to provide integrated and interactive Santa Tracker applications during December and on Christmas Eve. This includes news from the Santa News Network (SNN) on AT&T U-Versus Channel 98. There are many ways U-vers TV consumers can talk to Santa and to the North Pole, including,
- votes in the "Naughty or Nice" poll, and
- Sing-a- for popular holiday music and stories. Playing Longs and Read-a-Longs,
- Listening to the Holiday Songs on "Rudolph Radio",
- Playing Holiday Games Presented by Discovery.com/Toys, and
- Watching Real-Time Reports from the Santa News Network to Find It To be planted that Santa Claus North PoleHas gone or not and if he is traveling in the world then tracking his car.
In addition to providing holiday-related entertainment for children during December, Santa Trekking and Santa Trekking have built-in technologies such as radars, satellites, video cameras, and jet fighter aircraft, which were originally developed for space programs worldwide.
Let's inspire children to think about how space technology and exploration play an important role in a person's daily life. Apart from this, children can also learn about trekking techniques and scientific concepts, which leads them to dream higher than the stars for their own future.
Studies show that American colleges and universities provide undergraduate education in computer science to about 9000 students each year, a Santa Trekking effort a good way to inspire more young people to answer the call for a career in the tech sector is.
Rituals performed on Christmas Eve
In the United States and Canada children leave a glass of milk and a plate of cookies for Santa; In Britain and Australia, it is sometimes given sherry and mince pie ]]. Children leave rice porridge in Sweden.
There is a tradition of giving him Guinness or milk in Ireland, as well as Christmas pudding or mince pie.
In Hungary, St. Nicholas (Mikulas) arrives on 5 December and the children receive their gifts the next morning. If they are good they get sweets in a bag and if they are not good they get a golden birch switch.
On Christmas, the "little" Jesus "arrives and gives gifts to everyone.
In Slovenia, St. Nicholas (Miklavs) brings small gifts for good children on the eve of 6 December. Bozike (Christmas Men) brings gifts on the eve of 25 December and Dedek Maraz (Grandfather Frost) brings gifts on the evening of 31 December before the new year begins.
Children from British, Australia, Irish, Canada, and the US also leave a carrot for Santa's reindeer, they are traditionally told that if they do not become good children all year, they will get a piece of coal in their socks However, this practice is now being considered as an old practice.
Dutch children "keep their yoke " for Sinterklaas - children put their horse fodder and a carrot before sleeping - sometimes this is done a week before Sinterklaas Avond. The next morning they find that they have a gift instead of carrots and fodder; Often it is almond sweet pudding. Previously naughty children were told that they would get a bundle of sticks instead of sweets. But now this practice is not seen.
Other Christmas-related rituals related to Santa Claus read Clement Clarke Moore's A Visit from St. Nicholas or any other story related to Santa Claus or watching an animated program or television program involving Santa or Christmas and a song associated with Santa Claus such as Santa Claus is Cumming to town, hair cums Santa Claus and up on the housetop.
There is another practice in which children hang a stocking in a place where Santa can easily see it before going to sleep. Socks are mostly hung on the chimney (which has a fire-burning system). It is also hung outside the window (in homes where there is no fire-burning system). The outside doors of the house are not locked so that Santa can easily enter the house. Often the parents of the children place gifts for them under the tree and put a tag on it and write "on behalf of Santa".
Criticisms
Christian opposition
Despite the mixed Christian origins of Santa Claus, they have become a secular representative of Christmas. For example, some Protestants do not consider Santa Claus as secular, viewing him as a materialistic, which brings gifts for the holiday. This type of condemnation of Christmas is not a 20th-century event, but its origins in some Protestant groups in the 16th century, it was seen in the 17th century in the Old Testament of England, and in Colonial America when Pagan and Roman Catholics The holidays were banned. Christmas was again made legal, but in New England, the Puritan opposition to the holiday remained for almost two centuries.
Following the Puritans' exit from power in England and the restoration of the monarchy, many works satirized this ban imposed on Christmas, such as Joseph King's The Examination and Trial of Old Father Christmas; Also his Clearing by the Jury (1686)
In 1958 a dispute arose in Copenhagen, Denmark by the Rev. Paul Nethergard. After using Santa's image to raise money for a Danish welfare organization declared Santa a "pagan goblin". A major religious group that does not celebrate Christmas and Santa Claus for the same reasons, it is a witness to Jehovah's Witnesses. A large number of people in the Christian class accept it, on the other hand, a large number of people also condemn it.
Some Christians prefer the holiday over the actual birthday of Jesus, believing that Christmas is included in Pagan celebrations such as the Roman Carnival and Germany's Yule which originate from ancient Christianity. A very small number of Christians have been reformed by a sub-community who actually prefer the secular version of the holiday for the same reason. They believe it is wrong to set aside the birth of Christ for Christmas.
Some Christians feel uncomfortable telling their children lies about Santa's existence.
Commercialization symbol
In his book Nicholas: The Epic Journey from Saint to Santa Claus, author Jeremy Seal describes how the Santa Claus image was commercialized in the 19th century. "In the 1820s, he commercialized well-known items such as reindeer, carts, bells," Seal said in an interview. "These are indeed the things of the world from which they have emerged.
At that time, the vehicles were related to Manhattan.
Author Carol Gene Swanson put forward similar points in Mothering, stating that the original image of St. Nicholas is used only when they are needed, the image of Santa Claus is currently overused.
| " | Our jolly old Saint Nicholas represents our culture to a T, for he is fanciful, exuberant, bountiful, over-weight, and highly commercial. He also mirrors some of our highest ideals: childhood purity and innocence, selfless giving, unfaltering love, justice, and mercy. (What child has ever received a coal for Christmas?) The problem is that, in the process, he has become burdened with some of society's greatest challenges: materialism, corporate greed, and domination by the media. Here, Santa carries more in his baggage than toys alone! | " |
In the Czech Republic, a group of advertising professionals launched a website against Santa Claus, a recent incident in this country. "Christmas in Czech is intimate and magical. All things related to Santa seem to me to be a cheap entertainment business." Said David Conning of Creative Copyright Club. According to him, it is primarily an American and British tradition. "I am not against Santa. I am only against Santa in my country.
In the Czech tradition, gifts are given by Jejicek, who is treated as Baby Jesus."
In the United Nations, Santa or Father Christmas was historically depicted wearing a green raincoat. More recently, it has changed to the more common red dress. A school in the seaside town of Brighton banned the red dress. They believe that the red dress was only a part of the Coca-Cola advertising campaign.
School spokesman Sarah James said: "The red-clad Santa was created as a marketing tool for Coca-Cola, a symbol of commercialization. the reality, the red-clad Santa was produced by Thomas Nast. Is.
The debate about the existence of Santa
| " | The adults they count on to provide reliable information about the world introduce them to Santa. Then his existence is affirmed by friends, books, TV, and movies. It is also validated by hard evidence: the half-eaten cookies and empty milk glasses by the tree on Christmas morning. In other words, children do a great job of scientifically evaluating Santa. And adults do a great job of duping them. | " |
According to Woolley, it is probably "a lie created by the world of adults". This was told to the children so that they do not get angry and mischief. The criticism about this description is not that it is a lie, but rather that it is a long series of very long lies. That is, children have been lied to for centuries. The objection to this lie is that it is unethical for parents to lie to children without any reason and it discourages the healthy development of children. This lie does not benefit much, the charge is more on the parents than on the children.
Lelkhak Austin Klein posed a question: "Is it not possible that children know that parents are responsible for Christmas, not a supernatural stranger?"
Others, however, see no harm in believing in Santa Claus. The psychologist Tamar Murachwar said that it is a cultural lie and not a lie told by the parents to the children, so it does not reduce the trust of the parents. New Zealand psychologists also believe that there is no harm in parents telling children that Santa is real, not wrong.
Spokeswoman Vicky Hyde said, "If parents tell children the truth that Santa is not real, it will be a blow to the cultural heritage of innocent innocence of children. We misunderstand this important and enduring practice to avoid our false pride." Are staying.
It can also be said that although Santa Claus is not real, the Christmas spirit is real.
Dr. John Condary of Cornell University interviewed more than 500 children to study the issue and found that not a single child was angry that his parents told him that Santa was real.
According to Dr. Condry Condary, "The most overwhelming response in finding the truth was that they feel older and more mature. Now they know something that young children don't know."
Islamic opposition in Bosnia
Santa Claus was banned by the director of preschool education in the predominantly Muslim Sarajevo on 21 December 2008, according to him, Santa has no place in the Bosnia tradition.
The controversial attack is the result of a long historic Islamic effort to ban Santa in the country. The conflict arose as a result of the First Bosnia War when wartime President Alija Lzhetbegovic declared Santa Claus a communist-era builder. Although Lztebegovic's efforts stalled after public uproar, this time it was done by Arzija Mahmotovic, the children's director of the Sarajevo Group of Public Nurseries.
Home
In the North American tradition (in the United States and Canada), Santa lives at the North Pole, according to the Canada Post. It falls under the jurisdiction of the postal code H0H 0H0 Canada (referred to as "ho ho ho", though Postal codes beginning with are usually preserved for the island of Montreal in Québec).
On 23 December 2008, Canadian Minister for Citizens, Jason Kenny, formally awarded Canadian citizenship to Santa Claus. " Government of Canada Santa Congratulations on Christmas Eve wants to tell him that he has the right to come back to Canada as soon as his world tour is over, ”Kenny said in an official statement.
Traditionally, Santa Claus's home has a dwelling and a workshop where he often makes gifts with the help of his elves or other supernatural creatures - these gifts he sends to good children on Christmas. Some stories and legends include a village around his house and shop, where his colleagues live.
Alaska also has a city named the North Pole, a place known as "Santa Claus House", which is a tourist attraction. The US Postal Service uses the city's zip code 99705 as its advertising postal code for Santa Claus. A Wendy's in the North Pole, AK claims to have flown in Santa's car.
Each Nordic country claims Santa's domicile within its territory. Norway claims he lives in Drobak.
In Denmark, he is said to live in Greenland (near Umanak).
In Sweden, the city of Mora Tomteland has been named a park theme. The National Postal Terminal at Tomteboda in Stockholm receives children's characters for Santa.
In Finland, Korvatunturi has long been considered the home of Santa. Santa's home, two theme parks, the village of Santa Claus and Santa Park are located in Rovaniemi.
Europe and North America Christmas bringers around the world
"Santa Claus" is generally recognized and celebrated in North America and some European countries.
In all other places, there is a great variation in the form of the giver, his name, the story, and the date of his arrival during the winter holidays.
- Albania: "Old Men of the New Year"
- Austria: Christkind ("Christ Children")
- Armenia: Dzmer Papik "Grandfather Winter and Papa "Father Christmas" or "Father New Year")
- Bosnia and Herzegovina: Djeda Maraz ("Grand Father Frost")
- Brazil: Papai Noel ("Dead Christmas" or "Father Christmas")
- Bulgaria: ("Grandfather Christmas"), and ("Grandfather Past") in the past
- Canada: Santa Claus, Pere Noel ("Father Christmas")
- Croatia: Djed Bozhinjak ("Grandfather Christmas") or Djed Maraz ("Grandfather Frost")
- Czech Republic: Swati Mikulas ("St. Nicholas") - He brings gifts on the evening of December 5, the day before his holiday. He often gives sweets and fruits to good children and gives potatoes and coal to mischievous children.
- Jejicek ("baby Jesus") - brings a gift to the December Shema (which is different from the gift that is brought to the Santa Claus on the evening of December 24 and 25 ); Children are opening gifts in the evening already.
- Denmark: Julemanden
- Estonia: Joulavna ("big yule")
- Faroe Islands: Jollamaurin
- Finland: Jaulupukki
- France: Pere Noel ("Father Christmas") is a well-known depiction in other French-speaking regions.
- Germany: Weinachtsmann ("Christmas Man");, Christkind in southern Germany
- Georgia: (Tovlis Babua, "Tovlis Papa" Snow Grandfather)
- Greece: ("Saint Basil")
- Hungary: Jejuska or Kis Jejus ("baby Jesus") brings gifts on the eve of 24 December. A gift that night unpacked. Like the Czech Republic, Mikulas ("Nicholas"); Telapo ("Old Men Winter") brings gifts on the evening of 5 December before his holiday, Kendi for good kids and virgács, potatoes and coal for mischievous children.
- Iceland: Jollasven ("Yule Man").
- Ireland: Santa Claus, Santi or Dedi or Nolague (Father Christmas)
- Italy: Babbo Natale ("Father Christmas"); La Befana (luggage of Santa Claus; she rides a broomstick instead of a car, but is not considered a witch); Santa Claus ("Saint Lucky," an old blind woman who in some religions brings gifts for children on December 13 and rides a donkey; Gesu Bambino ("baby Jesus")
- Latvia: Zimasvetku Vesitis ("Christmas Old Men")
- Liechtenstein: Kristkind
- Lithuania: Cenis Saltis ("Old Man Frost") or Kaledu Senelis ("Christmas Grandfather")
- Netherlands and Flanders: Karsten ("Christmas Men")
- Macedonia: Dedo Maraz
- Norway: Julennissen
- Poland: Sweety Mikolaj / Mikolaj ("St. Nicholas"); Gwiazdor in some areas.
- Portugal: Pie Natal
- Romania Moldova: Mos Crescian ("Old Men's Christmas"); Mos Nikolay ("Old Men Nicholas"); Mos Gorilla ("Old Men Frost")
- Latin America Russia: (Dead Moroz, "Grandfather Frost")
- Serbia: (Dead Moroz, "Grand Father Frost"); Божић Бата / Bojic Bata ("Christmas Brother")
- Slovenia: Sveti Miklavs or Sveti Nikolaj (Saint Nicholas),(Santa), or Dedek Maraz (Grandfather Winter).
- SV Miklavs on 6 December and Boziczek on 24 December and Dedek Maraz on 31 December.
- Spain: Reyes Magos (Biblical Magi) is the original tradition of Magi in the streets on 6 January. Due to outside influences, Santa Claus (Papa Noel) is becoming more common.
- Many families Have adopted both traditions.
- Aragon and Catalonia: In addition to the Reis Magas (Biblical Magi) tradition, in Catalonia and in northern Aragon, there is another local tradition, Teo de Nadal or Tronca de Navidad.
- The character usually makes small gifts, the more important ones being given by Reece Magus. In the rest of Spain, the imported Beyond Noel (Santa Claus) tradition is becoming more common.
- Sweden: Zultomaten
- Switzerland : Kristkind / Babbo Natale / Pere Noel
- Turkey: Noel Baba ("Father Christmas") Although Turks mainly believe in Islam, there is a "Noel Baba" or Christmas (or New Year) tree tradition in homes.
- Turkmenistan: Ayaz Baba ("Father Christmas")
- Ukraine: Swati Maikolay; Дід Мороз / Did Moroz.
- United Kingdom: Father Christmas, Santa Claus, Santa, Sion Corn ("Chimney John" in Welsh)
- United States of America: Santa Claus; Chris Kringle; Papa Noel; (Mostly in southern Louisiana), St. Nicholas or St. Nick.
In Latin America, Santa Claus is often called Papa Noel, but there is a difference in this view in every country.
- Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay: Papa Noel ("Father Christmas"), Nino Jesus (Baby Jesus)
- Venezuela: San Nicolas, Nino Jesus (Baby Jesus)
- Brazil: Papai Noel (Father Christmas); Bom Velinho ("Good Old Man")
- Chile : Vijito Pasquero (Christmas Old Men)
- Mexico: Santo Clos (Santa Claus); Nino Dios (Literature "Child God" means baby Jesus); Los Reyes Magos (the three vice men)
Asia
People around Asia, especially those from countries where Western culture has been adopted, also consider Christmas and give gifts. Some countries where Christmas treats (especially as a public holiday), they are Hong Kong, the Philippines, East Timor, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, India and Central Asia, and the Middle East's Christian community.
- Asia: Santa Claus
- Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan Sexta Baba ("Grandfather Frost")
- China: Christmas old man)
- Christmas age) Man Santa Claus, St. Nicholas, Father Christmas
- India: Jingal Bell, Santa Clause, Telugu: Thatha ("Christmas old man") Marathi: Natal Bua (Christmas old man)
- Japan: Santa-san
- Korea : ("Santa Kulosu") and ("Santa Grandfather")
- Mongolia: Winters Grandfather)
- Vietnam: Ong Gia Noel ("The Christmas Old Men")
Africa and the Middle East
Christians living in Africa and the Middle East who consider Christmas believe that the gift-giving tradition came from Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The descendants living in these areas still continue to practice their ancestors' practices Has been continued
- South Africa: Sinter Class; Father Christmas; Santa Claus; Cursive.
- Lebanon; Papa Noel
- Syria: Papa Noel
- Egyptian Papa Noel
Oceania
- Australia: "Santa (Claus)", Father Christmas
- New Zealand: Father Christmas, Santa Claus
