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The basis for Santa Claus was St. Nicholas. St. Nick took on different forms and no where did he change more than in America. It was the Dutch who brought Santa Claus to America. New York was first settled by the Dutch as New Amsterdam. Children there as Dutch children still do, prepare for St. Nicholas eve. The children once filled their shoes with straw for St. Nicholas' horse, hoping that the Bishop then known as Sinter Klaas, would fill them with gifts. (See "Holland" for more details about Sinter Klaas and the hanging of stockings by the fireplace.) American children begin grasping the concept of Santa Clause at about 2-3 years of age. Virtually all children are thrill with the mystery and surprise of Christmas. Thius does not begin to change for most until they begin school. There they begin to here rumors from older children. Their developing concept of mathematics enables some to do the numors. One rather rotund old fellow can only go down so many chimleys--not to mention that many do not even have chimleys. Others wonder about seeing multiple shoping mall Santas. Some observant little sharpy might notice that mom and dad's wraping paper is the same as Santa's. I remember asking how Santa got my new desk down the chimley. Often children during their first year of school cling teaciously to Santa. By age 7 and second grade many begin to become increasingly skeptical. This is probably a younger age than was common at the turn of the 20th century. It is no only adults thart participate in the information age. As one editorial writer explains, "You know your kid is a doubter if he comes in holding a globe and calculator and wearing an expression that says, 'We have to talk." There are two American Christmas classics addressing the doubts of growing children. One was an editorial written in respnse to an 8-year old girl, Virginia O'Hanlon. It was written by Francis P. hurch for the New York Sun in 1897. It begins with the now classic, "Yes, Virginia. There is a Santa Clause." The other classic is the wonderful 1937 movie, Miricle on 34th Stree staring a young Natalie Wood.
The basis for Santa Claus was St. Nicholas. Nicholas was one of those children who come along once in a while who are more clever than most others in some way or another. For many their extraordinary ability is something which they have throughout their life. For others it lasts until the end of their childhood. Other children, such as Nicholas have a gift which is nurtured through childhood and reaches its full potential in adulthood. History often contains well documented stories about the doings and achievements of children. Nicholas was born long ago so the historical record of his achievement is buried in tradition and legend. The facts associated with Nicholas are merged into a fanciful story that has been embellished by time. Paintings of his image exist but only from his adulthood. I have not been able to discover the boy?s family name only his first name in my searches about him.
St. Nick took on different forms and no where did he change more than in America. It was the Dutch who brought Santa Claus to America. Of course America, especially American business, has done a good deal with Santa since the Dutch first brought him here.
New York was first settled by the Dutch as New Amsterdam. Children there as Dutch children still do, prepare for St. Nicholas eve. The children once filled their shoes with straw for St. Nicholas' horse, hoping that the Bishop then known as Sinter Klaas, would fill them with gifts. (See Holland" for more details about Sinter Klaas and the hanging of stockings by the fireplace.) Sinter Klaas was gradually Americanized as Santa Claus.
Christmas was not part of Pilgrim religious observation. The Pilgrims considerd with some reason that the English celvbration of Chritmas was too ribald. They actually outlawed the celebrtion of Christmas. This pilgrim influence was to influence American religious celebration well into the 19th century. This was one factor in the development of Christmas in America as more of a secular than a religious holiday.
Christmas in America, discouraged by most American Protestants, was built on the Dutch and and other European traditions. It was Clemet Moore who is most responsible for the destinctive merican celebration of Christmas. His poem "A visit from St. Nicholas" (1822) created most of the familar aspects of the American celebration. His poem described the Reindeer (except Rudolph) and St. Nick bringing presents down the chimley. He did not, however, describe St Nick, excepot that he was jolly and had a bowl full of jelly. Moore was a very stasid minister and was afraid for a while that his poem was too flipant and therefore attempted to hide the fact that he wrote it. The poem definitely made Christmas into a celebration for children. It also fit perfectly into the chsnging imge of children that was to develop in the Victorian era.
The modern image of Santa Claus began to appear during the American Civil War. It was created by famed Amerian political cartoonist Thomas Nast. One of Nast's projects was to do an annual Christmas cartoon for Harper's Weekly, one of the most important American publications at the time. The first Nast Christmas cartoon appeared in 1863 and he continued doing them until 1886. Santa first appeared as auggy elf. He gradually evolved into the pot-bellied, full beared character known by every American child today. Nast helped create the Santa tradition by explaining that he spent the entire year making toys with his elves at the North Pole. Other traditions such as checking on how children were behaving, keeping lista of who has been naughty and nice, and receiving Christmas lists all emerged from Nast's cartoons.
American children begin grasping the concept of Santa Clause at about 2-3 years of age. Virtually all children are thrill with the mystery and surprise of Christmas. Thius does not begin to change for most until they begin school. There they begin to here rumors from older children. Their developing concept of mathematics enables some to do the numors. One rather rotund old fellow can only go down so many chimleys--not to mention that many do not even have chimleys. Others wonder about seeing multiple shoping mall Santas. Some observant little sharpy might notice that mom and dad's wraping paper is the same as Santa's. I remember asking how Santa got my new desk down the chimley. Often children during their first year of school cling teaciously to Santa. By age 7 and second grade many begin to become increasingly skeptical. This is probably a younger age than was common at the turn of the 20th century. It is no only adults that participate in the information age. As one editorial writer explains, "You know your kid is a doubter if he comes in holding a globe and calculator and wearing an expression that says, 'We have to talk."
While images of Santa appeared in the 19th centurt, we do not see photographic portraits with Santa being taken until well into the 20th century. We are not sure just when this tradition began, but we do not note it in the photographic record until after World War I in the 1920s. A good example is Jack in 1930.
There are two American Christmas classics addressing the doubts of growing children. One was an editorial written in respnse to an 8-year old girl, Virginia O'Hanlon. It was written by Francis P. hurch for the New York Sun in 1897. It begins with the now classic, "Yes, Virginia. There is a Santa Clause." The other classic is the wonderful 1937 movie, Miricle on 34th Street staring a young Natalie Wood.
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