Santa enjoys reading books to children all over the world.  Below are a few favorites that we collected from our Santa’s at www.SantaForHire.com.

Polar Express:  This is a story of a little boy who still believes in Santa. He takes a magical train ride on Christmas Eve to the North Pole and see’s Santa.  He then becomes a believer. (Houghton Mifflin, 1985)

The Legend of the Poinsettia:  This is a story where a little girls mother becomes ill and is unable to complete a blanket at the Church’s Christmas manger.  A miracle happens when she places weeds at the manger with love and they become beautiful poinsettias.  (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1994)

The Nativity:  The text of this book is taken from the gospels of Luke and Matthew and Isaiah.  This book serves as a wonderful introduction to the story of the birth of Jesus as it is written in the King James version of the bible. (Candlewick Press, 1996)

A Baby Born in Bethlehem:  Based on the gospels of Luke and Matthew this story emphasized the joy of Jesus’ birth. (Albert Whitman & Co., 1999)

All children need clothes and seem to grow out of them as soon as they are purchased.  This can be very expensive and there are alternatives to buying clothes brand new.  Sometimes it is impossible to get hand-me-downs to help save on the expense.  Below are a few ideas that have proven to help save time and expenses when trying to cloth your child.

PTA:  Most schools have a PTA (Parent/Teacher Association) and this is a great way to save on time and money and can bring in some money for the school.  Twice a year have the PTA organize (or you can take on this for them) a “clothing exchange”.  Announcements can be sent home with the children to their parents.  Ask parents to volunteer bringing in their childrens gently used clothing that they have grown out of.  Set tables up at the school and have parents come in a shop for clothing that will fit their child. Price the items at $2.00 or less.  After your day of sales the school gets a portion of the proceeds (this is usually predetermined prior to the sales day.  Make sure the parents understand that this is also to benefit the school).  The remainder of the proceeds go to each parent that set up a table/stand.
Home clothing exchanges:  If you have a number of children in your neighborhood, you can set up the same thing within your home with the parents.  This can also be done without money but just trading clothing items.  Every one wins in this situation.
Consignment stores:  Many consignment stores specialize in childrens clothing only and baby items.  These can be located in your local phone book.  A number of clothing items in these stores still have the tags on them.  They will also purchase your gently used clothing at a nominal fee or give you double the store credit.

Santa always worries about children and wishes them the best in health.  During the cold and flu season it is most important to teach your children good hygiene but don’t stop there.  This is a lifelong lesson that should not stop because the flu season is over.

Always wash hands before meals.
Wash hands after using the restroom.
When you have a cold, use your hand to cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing.
Use face tissue to wipe your nose.
Disinfect toys after they are handled by multiple children.  (after a playdate, or an afternoon at the park)

These are not guaranteed to keep you healthy but it does cut down the risk of catching ill during the cold and flu season.  When practicing these items with your children….set up a change jar and every time they complete one of the steps put a coin in the coin jar.  If the parents are also taking part…..put a coin in every time they do them as well.  Before you know it the whole family can go out and play a game of miniature golf or go to the movies.

Santa is best known as bringing toys to all the children and who is better to give ideas on toys than Santa. Below are some of the toys that our Santa’s at www.SantaForHire.com   has recommended.  Many of them suggested toys that build imagination and thinking skills.

Lego’s:  These little building blocks will provide hours of interaction with your child.  They come in a variety of sizes and colors.  There are the Mega blocks for the toddler, then the regular sized for the 5-8 age group and then finally the tiny Lego’s that are for the older children.  If you have a child that is good working with their hands, whether it is a boy or girl they can build things such as a princess castle and horse drawn cart, drag or race cars, etc.  There is no end to the amount of things that can be built with a Lego.
Lincoln logs:  Another great source of thinking and hand on skills.  These can be used to make a number of structures.  Who knows maybe you have a great architect on your hands.
Dress up:  Some of the best dress up is mom and dads or even the grandparents hand me downs.  Kids have a great time pretending with oversized clothing.  It is not always necessary to go out and buy perfectly sized dress up clothes.
Cars:  Boys and girls love to push around cars and pretend they are driving.  Remote control cars are great but do not stimulate the imagination like a push car.  Cars can range in a variety of sizes and with a little help from mom and dad to get them started….making a track in the dirt or chalk lining on the sidewalk makes great streets for them to drive on.

One of Santa’s favorite past times is eating cookies.  Here is a cookie recipe that the children can help with.

INGREDIENTS:
·    4 ounces butter or margarine
·    1/2 cup milk
·    2 cups sugar
·    1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
·    3 to 4 tablespoons peanut butter, optional
·    3 cups oats, quick or old-fashioned
·    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
PREPARATION:
Place chocolate chips, peanut butter (if used), oats, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Combine the margarine, milk, and sugar in a saucepan; bring to a rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute. Combine the hot mixture with the oatmeal and chocolate chip mixture; stir well.
Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper.

Many people get spooked at the idea of marketing.  What is marketing? Or you may say to yourself, “I’m not a salesperson.” Or you may think that it is too early to start marketing.  We just finished the 2007 season.  Let’s start with the definition of marketing.  According to Webster’s it means:  1 a: the act or process of selling or purchasing in a market b: the process or technique of promoting, selling, and distributing a product or service 2: an aggregate of functions involved in moving goods from producer to consumer.
For a professional Santa actor I would add that Marketing is the process of making customers aware of you and your services and convincing customers that you are a high quality Santa, who is reliable, trustworthy, and jolly and will be all the things that parents expect of Santa Claus. A Santa actor needs to market himself differently to each category of customers:
1.) The Company party coordinator
2.) the Mother who wants Santa in her home for her children
3.) the Photography company that wants Santa to pose for photos at Mall or in photo studios
4.) the Casting Director who wants a Santa for a TV commercial or a Print Ad.
5.) the International Customer that wants a Santa who will meet the expectation of the country’s customs
The business of Santa has become very competitive with over 1000 registered Santa’s nationally, it cannot hurt to start now and get exposure. You do not have to be a seasoned salesperson to do a great marketing job.  It takes a little time and thinking outside of the box to get the ball rolling.

Who do I market?

Sit down with a pen and paper and think of all the local clubs, organizations, events, people, planners, etc. that may need your service and write them down.  Then narrow these down by putting a star next to the groups, functions that cater to children or may have events pertaining to children (i.e. PTA, Churches, and Mothers groups).  If you are looking for more permanent work, write a list of the local malls and photographers who are in the area. And if you work through an agent – make sure they are on the top of your list.  Why would you put your agent at the top?  Believe it or not, a good agent starts calling your previous customers and marketing you for the upcoming season right after the New Year. Your agent needs current paperwork and new photo’s to properly do this year after year.  Make sure your agent has the tools they need to market you effectively.  Now we know who to market, let’s find out how to market.

How do I “market myself”?

If you have a good agent that is consistently getting you more work every year, then you do not have much to worry about.  The work is being done for you.  However, it can never hurt to do some marketing on your own and bring in more business.  The easiest and most inexpensive way is with business cards. You can buy these buy the 1000’s and hand them out – and it only cost you pennies.  Make sure to have your stage name, agent phone number and county/city that you want to service and website. If possible, have a photo of yourself on the card as well.  Keep these on hand with you at all times.  People will say “you look just like Santa” – what a perfect opportunity to hand out a card.  Another great item is signs.  The car magnets that you see on many cars cost about $50-$60 per pair.  Santa drives A LOT; why not advertise on your way to the grocery store or to a job.  People will drive by and jot down your number.  Bus stop signs….are inexpensive and can pull in a large amount of business for you.  Prices vary from state to state but can be as low as $100 per month plus a set up fee.  Websites are inexpensive to maintain (as low as $60 a year) and are very effective to this day and age of internet users.  Local periodicals are effective if the ad is eye catching.  To take out a quarter page ad with your photo in color can vary from $50 to $200.  School newspapers are effective and what better advertising than going home with 700+ students at one time for a nominal fee or donation to the PTA.

What should I charge?

It never fails – once you have someone’s attention the first thing they will ask is “how much.”  DO YOUR HOMEWORK.  You don’t want to go through all of this effort and find out that you were too expensive or bid to low.  Call local competitors and find out how much they charge per hour, ½ hour, etc.  Call children entertainers in the phone book – you may not realize this, but many of them have real bearded Santa’s that they send out for much lower than what independent Santa’s are charging.   Ask what that rate includes?  Do they offer a money back guarantee if the customer is not satisfied?  Do they have their own liability insurance?  Do they provide references?  Are payments collected prior to the event or on the day of the event?  What is the cancellation policy?  Does this include background checks and copies of the clearances for the customer if requested?  Your agent gets asked these questions and requests hundreds of times over the course of a season.  Ask unbiased friends or acquaintances what they would “honestly” pay for your performance.  DON’T GET A BIG HEAD.  Unfortunately, too many of us get a big head once we start getting repeat clients year after year and decide to raise our prices to unreasonable amounts.  This will backfire on you eventually.  The client will feel that they are getting ripped off and look elsewhere.

Follow – up

Always, always, always follow up with a potential customer.  If someone seems interested in your services, it is perfectly fine to ask for contact information.  A phone number, name or even an address.  Having worked for an agent, as an agent, I have been able to get phone numbers of people while getting my car serviced, sitting in McDonald’s, or at the bank.  What better way to advertise than having a captive audience!  Why do you want to get this information?  People will forget about you.  Unfortunately we all do it.  We have a great conversation with someone and have their information but never seem to get around to calling or getting on line.  I have business cards from people that I have never called, however, the people that got my information and called me a few days later and remembered tidbits of information about our conversation received my business.  This is the same with the Santa business.  Customers call by the hundreds over a season.  By engaging them on the phone and getting information about them (even if they are shopping around) can win you the business at the end.  Call them back within 48 hours and recap your conversation and ask for the business.  A good agent does this countless times during the year to get you booked.  Why would the customer choose me over another agency?  Because I/we showed them that they were of value to us and we were willing to go the extra mile.  I have clients that call year after year to get the same Santa to attend their event.  Why?  They feel that we care about them.  When a company can recall their children’s names or the events that have taken place with them over the years, they want to come back because they feel comfortable with you/us.  When Santa remembers the children’s names – it makes all the difference in the world.  Not just an average Santa, but a great Santa. Someone they would never think of replacing.  And it all starts with the opportunity to give them a call back and remind them of the great conversation you had.

Marketing yourself does not have to be scary.  Depending on how outgoing you are a sign or business cards may be the way to go for the shy Santa.  If you are a little more outgoing – approach people.  The worst thing that can happen is someone tells you “no”.  It is not the end of the world and there is always someone in line right behind them that will say “yes”.

The next article to be posted (next week):

How do I “Market Myself “through an Agent or have an Agent Market me?

Santa’s all over the world send fantastic photo’s to us of their new attire and updated costume’s.  There is never a shortage of creativity when it comes to Santa Claus and what ideas they come up with for the “new” Santa look.

While all of us have fun seeing the creativity, we always need to keep our eye open on the current Santa trend.  Remarkably, there are “Santa” trends and it is always about what the customers want that year.

Five years ago everyone wanted “Father Christmas” at their parties.  Most of the home parties had an over-the-top European feel and the clients were sparing no expense.  The classic Father Christmas attire is done in layers and keeping with tradition the clothing is in green and gold.  Father Christmas was typically seen in the English Midwinter Festival and the green represented the return of spring. In current times the clothing has evolved to Ivory or cream color with gold trim.  The layers start with wool or velvet pants of either ivory/cream or the traditional green (depending on the look you want).  The waistcoat would match the trousers and the boots would also be the same color with a fur trim.  Father Christmas does not wear black boots like the Western version of Santa Claus.  The center of attention is then put onto the full length overcoat.  This is lined and trimmed in fur.  The coat can either be velvet or wool but the weight of this coat is what sets it apart from others.  This coat can either have a hood that is attached or no hood at all.   If there is no hood, Father Christmas wore a wreath about his head with poinsettias and Christmas greenery.  Another item Father Christmas always seems to have with him is an English horn.

If you are doing a Father Christmas addition to your wardrobe, do not go the cheap route.  Some of the costumes that I have seen in the past are done in light weight fabrics and don’t display the weight of the costume.  Father Christmas is from the cold European country when there is snow and freezing temperatures.  You need to make the customer feel that you just got off the plane from Iceland!  It does not matter how much you are sweating underneath.

There is not a large calling over the last couple of years for a Father Christmas but the time may come when trend hits again and it is better to be ready for that call.

Since the 1930’s when Coca Cola standardized the look of Santa Claus the world has recognized the red suit with black boots/belt and the white trim.  The traditional Coca

Cola Santa look would include a well made red velvet or velour (heavy velour) suit with white fur trim, polished black boots, wide black belt with a gold buckle, white gloves and long white whiskers. Many now carry bells or wear bells on their belts.  The legend that has been told is that bells were hung an hour before midnight on the first Christmas eve and it was to warn forces of darkness of the imminent birth of the Saviour.  At midnight the bells would ring in a joyful melodious sound. The traditional Coca Cola Santa is now wearing spectacles and this should be a part of every Western Santa’s costume.  And lastly, don’t forget the Santa bag that is made to match your outfit. If you are going to be Santa this is the most important costume you will have.  Make sure it is made of the highest quality fabrics and rich color. This is a trend that will never be out of style.  Many European countries are now requesting U.S. Santa’s to visit their malls and hotels.

A trend that has been growing over the last couple of years is the “Workshop Santa” look. This costume consists of the traditional red or black trousers or knickers, suspenders, knee socks, black leather shoes with a gold buckle, and a long sleeve white shirt, and spectacles.  These are Santa’s work clothes and it is more casual then his dress suit. Some malls have requested this look and the background is set up to look like his workshop.  It is a nice change from the countless years of Santa pictures in the formal setting.  This is probably the least expensive costume of the three and can be worn in a variety of different occasions.  Some customers have requested this at their home parties and they have Santa sit and participate in a craft with them.  It is a fun experience for the children and makes for a great photo op for the parents to have pictures of their children making toys with Santa.

No matter what costume you have or if you have all three of them there is always a calling for Santa.  Making sure you have multiples of the Coca-Cola Santa suit is important because it will be worn the most.  Whether you are playing the regal Father Christmas, the jolly Santa Claus, or the craft happy Workshop Santa have fun!

You have now gotten past the first set of questions to ask yourself and are ready to go onto the next step.  The next thing you need to ask yourself is:

What type of Santa jobs do I want to do?
a.    Mall
b.    Corporate/Company events
c.    Home parties for families
d.    Photo Shoots at photo studios and for print ads
e.    TV Commercials
f.    Media/public appearance

This question is one of the most important to answer before booking your first gig.
Each type of job takes a different personality and can be physically stressful in different ways.  The most common Santa job is the “Mall Santa”.

Mall Santa’s require a very fit and happy person!  Most mall jobs are 10-11 hour days with a couple of 15 minute breaks and one lunch and dinner break.  There are long hours of sitting and smiling.  Santa will ask 100’s of children what they would like for Christmas and some of these requests will be hard to respond to.  A Mall Santa needs to be well versed in how to respond to the tough questions that some children want for Christmas.  For example, I heard of a child that asked Santa “Will you make mommy and daddy happy again so that they can live together?” or “My daddy is in Iraq, will you bring him home for Christmas?”  These types of questions always throw me for a loop when I am on the set with a Santa and I am always amazed at the wonderful Santa’s that I have had the privilege to work with that can answer these heartbreaking questions without faltering. A great resource to answering questions of this sort would be Richard Christies “Becoming Santa” and can be ordered on http://www.santabelts.com/.

Mall Santa’s need to understand that this job is repetitive and can be stressful when you see a line of 60+ kids that are getting anxious and parents that are losing their patience waiting.  Photographers and Set Managers may become irritable and snippy.  It is up to Santa to keep the peace and set the standard.  The Mall Santa is great for a person who is shy and does not want to necessarily be the center of attention and take charge of a group.  The atmosphere is more intimate with a child and parent smiling for the photographer in a structured setting.

If you are taking a mall position that is out of state and you are negotiating this contract it is important that you make sure all the necessities are covered.  For example, hotel, per diem, breaks, lunches, dinner, suit cleanings, a dressing area, transportation (air fare, cab, rental car), toll fees, parking fees, overtime hours, days off, and of course, your salary.

A mall Santa does not make a large hourly wage but the hours add up and the end result will be around $7,000 to $8,000 pay range for a six week period. There have been rumors out there that some Santa’s make 20K + in a season for a mall – and after 7 years in this business, I have not seen one yet!

A more outgoing Santa would be interested in doing Corporate/Company parties.  There is such a wide variety of Corporate parties and it would be wise to ask the person booking what they would like Santa to do.  Many companies have Santa come in and take pictures with employees and their children, but with the expense of Christmas parties and companies scaling down their budgets many of these parties do not include children or spouses any longer. Corporate parties over the years have become more adult oriented and Santa could be asked to hand out the bonus checks and take pictures with the employees in a traditional sit-down dinner or luncheon. Or there is the complete opposite (these are starting to increase over the years) to a rowdy open bar party with dancing and DJ’s.  In these settings Santa usually takes pictures with employees and is asked to stay and partake in the party.  There was a particular party in the past that asked for a Santa to hand out checks.  They also booked a Mrs. Clause through another company who specialized in X-rated characters.  Santa was VERY surprised and embarrassed to have a Mrs. Clause jump out of a fake Christmas tree to help entertain while he handed out checks. As stated earlier – IT IS WISE TO ASK WHAT THE CUSTOMER IS EXPECTING BEFORE BOOKING.  Otherwise this could be uncomfortable. If you do not mind the rowdy drinking parties, always remember, it is never wise for Santa to drink at any function – it is not good for marketing if Santa is on the 10 o’clock news being tested for a DUI.

A Santa that can get the energy going for a company party and leave without compromising his integrity or values will be highly recommended by all the participants of the party and will bring repeat business year after year. The pay scale for Corporate party Santa’s is and average of $100 per hour.

A more subtle take to the Corporate party is the Home party.  These are becoming more and more common over the years.  Most home parties consist of family and friends with small children and they have hired a Santa to make a special visit to their home.  It is very common for one person in the neighborhood to have a Santa, however, the next year the neighbor will want one for themselves and your clientele is endless!  There is a Santa that I know of that has 8 houses in one neighborhood that he does every year.  He charges them each a minimal fee and spends 5-6 minutes with each house.  In course of less than 1 hour he has done the neighborhood and made twice his hourly fee with one trip.

A Santa with an outgoing personality and the ability to seem harmless to small children who are scared of him will make a great Home party Santa.  The pay on these types of events varies from one end of the scale to the other, but the average is $100 per hour.    Keep in mind, if you are around small children – it is not uncommon for a parent or person booking the event to ask for a copy of your background check.  These are a must-have in this day and time.  It is also necessary when booking any event for a school or city sponsored event.

The Photo Shoot Santa is for the shy Santa.  This Santa needs to have all the “strike a pose” ability and be “America’s next top Santa”. There are no speaking parts in this job but you must possess the “Perfect” All-American Coca-Cola Santa look.  This includes the well manicured beard, mustache, and hair, blue eyes (contacts work fine) and rosy cheeks.  This job is mostly done in a photo studio for magazine and catalog advertisements. Pay for the Photo Shoot Santa is generally done in a flat rate for a block of hours.

The TV Commercial Santa is a perfect job for the person who enjoyed drama as a kid.  The ability to act and take instruction are a must.  Membership to the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) is also necessary when auditioning for these jobs. The competition is fierce and it is always good to ask as many questions beforehand to get an idea of what the director is looking for before auditioning. The pay for a TV commercial varies greatly depending on the amount of talk and camera time.  Residuals are negotiated at the time the contract is signed.

And lastly, there is the Media/Public Appearance Santa.  This is for the fine-tuned Santa.  The Media Santa needs to have the looks, the suit, the take charge voice, an ability to take the audience on a journey and hold their attention, including all the viewers that are watching them on television. This Santa needs to have ALL the answers and the ability to be interviewed without being stumped.  All eyes will be upon you and if you are camera shy – this is not the job for you. You must posses something special because you will be interviewed and auditioned to the limits.  It is a tough industry out there and Santa’s can be extremely competitive.  However, this is not the time to add “DIVA” to your resume. I have noticed that over the years the Santa’s that have become self-absorbed and have ego’s that are blown out of proportion to their abilities are being passed up for Santa’s that are very new to the Santa experience and have kept true to their values.

I hope that this has been helpful in determining what type of Santa job you want to book for your future events.  In the next segment of this article we will cover the small necessities that will be asked of you when booking your events such as:

Do I have helpers, Mrs. Clause, elves?
Agent vs. Independent contractor
Props
Marketing
Insurance
Special talents
Foreign languages
Overseas/travel
Pay

Lesley@SantaNewsJournal.com

He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a pedlar just opening his sack.
His eyes how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry;
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face, and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump,–a right jolly old elf–
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.

Written by Clement C. Moore in 1822 as a Christmas present to his children.

THE HISTORY OF SANTA CLAUS

Authors: Santas Richard Christie and Thurston James

Where did Santa Claus come from? Well, we could say that Santa is a direct descendent of Saint Nicholas, and that would be true enough, but it would be the simplest answer to a rather complex heritage. After eons of being conquered by Sweden and then Russia, Finland finally declared independence from Russia in 1917 and was established as a nation, however, the story of Santa Claus begins long before this.

No one knows exactly how or when, but as cultural influences from elsewhere
spread into Finland, the beast transformed into the smiling Santa Claus that now
meets children from around the world at his log cabin in Finland’s Arctic
Circle. “The history of Santa Claus is an interwoven cultural braid. Santa
Claus, like other cultural phenomena, is a reflection of its time,” says Ahti
Ahonen, regional Christmas coordinator in Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish
Lapland. Finland, Sweden and Norway were the home of Norse Vikings who
established trade ties with Russia, Scotland, Great Britain, Spain and Rome. The
Vikings carried with them the traditions and legends of Santa Claus. Many
Vikings settled in Scotland and Great Britain bringing their traditions with
them. This explains why so many Scottish names have Nordic origins.

Mithra & Saturnalia

Let’s begin this investigation of Santa’s lineage by going back to the first
century, to Persia and to Rome. No, Santa is not a Persian or Roman, but we find
roots of his ancestry in the early festivals that these folks celebrated during
the shortest days of the year, the winter solstice.

The Persians called their festival ‘Mithra.’ It was a post-harvest celebration
that took place in December, in the dead of winter. This birthday festival was
in honor of the sun, and it anticipated the sun’s impending return. The Romans
had a similar festival they called ‘Saturnalia.’ It was a seven-day celebration
lasting from December 17th to 24th. It also remembered the winter solstice, the
time of frost and snow and evergreens, of fires and candlelight indoors, and it
too took notice of the first sign of the lengthening of daylight hours. These
winter celebrations were marked by a time of decorating, feasting, drinking, and
gift giving. The public parties were carnival in nature, and for adults. The fun
consisted of turning the social order upside down. They involved games, dancing,
disorder, masquerade, irreverence, mockery, dares, and mischievous horseplay
between virtual strangers.

Yule-tide

The Celts and Teutons borrowed from the Romans, but they called their winter
festivals ‘Yuletide.’ The Saxons brought the Yule log to Brittany. Fire played a
vital role in their celebration. As the Yule log was set blazing, it had special
merit beyond the heat it provided. In these northern European countries it
commemorated the rebirth of the sun, the source of light, heat, and life.

Odin

To the north, in the countries of Finland, Sweden, and Norway, there was a very old white bearded gentleman who rode through the mid-winter skies on a horse. His name was Odin and his white horse was named ‘Sleiphir.’ We mention him now, not because he had anything to do with Saturnalia, but rather because he was a prominent figure who dominated the winter skies at this same time period in the very early days of the first century. Odin is considered to be a great-great-great grandfather to Santa Claus.

The Nativity

When Christ was born in Bethlehem these pagan festivals were deeply entrenched, and vastly popular. Saturnalia was eagerly celebrated throughout the Roman Empire and its extended territory. The leadership of the early Christian church, in their efforts to convert the world to Christianity, did their best to suppress the attention that these pagan gods of Saturn and the Sun were receiving, however, the festival activities had deep roots. Then as now, attempts at changing tradition encountered stiff resistance. So, rather than antagonize new converts by doing away with old customs, the church authorities thought it might be a good idea to give sacred meaning to the old observances. Bishop Julius I set December 25 as the date to celebrate the birth of Christ. Rather than eliminate the festival, Julius I changed its focus. In 353 AD the feast of the Nativity was first celebrated in Rome. The celebration, now a holy day, was slowly transformed from a public carnival and became centered on family worship and on the home. Children were warmly included.

Saint Nicholas

It was at this time in history that Saint Nicholas was born. He became bishop of Myra, Turkey while he was still a young boy. St. Nicholas performed miracles in the lives of children whom he had contacted. At first he worked with the poor and homeless children giving them gifts of food, clothing and blankets. Then he started orphanages to supply all of their physical needs. The tales of these miracles and the generous gifts to children have been passed on to us through oral tradition and have become legendary. The stories of his love and generosity were powerful enough that he became the patron saint of children. The tradition of Saint Nicholas as a gift giver was widespread. Families observed his feast day on December 6th, and the children began receiving gifts in his name. The happy news spread! Saint Nicholas replaced Odin as the rider of the horse.

The winter rider was still very old and still had a white beard, but was now
dressed in red bishop’s robe with miter, crosier and jeweled gloves as he went
about on his white horse. In Holland, Belgium, and Germany, the children were
told that the night before his feast day, Saint Nicholas would come looking for
good children and would reward them with presents of ginger cakes, candies,
apples, nuts, and small toys.

The stories of his generous gift giving were amplified as they spread
throughout Europe. Moving from country to country, the customs were altered to
fit the new home, and the name for Saint Nicholas was changed to fit their
language. Names like ‘Sinter Klaas,’ ‘Jule-nissen,’ ‘Sankt Nikolaus,’ ‘Sint
Nicolaas,’ ‘Santa Klaas,’ and ‘Pere Noel’ were formed. In some countries the
gifts were brought on Epiphany, the festival of the Three Kings, January 6th.

Knecht Ruprecht

In time, a terrible switch-wielding impish assistant was improvised for Saint
Nicholas, and he rode with him on his rounds. The gift-bringer now had a
two-sided character. He could read the heart and know the hidden thoughts and
actions of those he visited. He came not only to reward the good, but also to
punish the bad. In some countries this assistant was called ‘Pels Nichol’
(Nicholas with the fur) and in other places he was known as ‘Black Peter,’ or
‘Knecht Ruprecht.’ This small imp was a Moor from Spain, a sprite clad in animal
skin or straw with a dingy face, horns, a long red tongue, and fiery eyes. He
carried a heavy stick and displayed a black bag in which he might carry the bad
children away. Naughty children found switches in their shoes, and the food they
put out for the white horse was left untouched.

Befana

In Italy, another character was added to the Saint Nicholas family tree. It was
a very old woman by the name of Befana. She was a genial hag who searched the
world leaving candy and sweets for good children, and stones and coal for the
bad. A legend tells us of her history and how she met the Three Wise Men as they
were searching for the Bethlehem Christ child. They invited her to accompany
them in their quest, but she was too busy with her household duties. After they
left, she changed her mind and searched desperately for them, but it was too
late, they were well gone. Befana continues her search, hoping to fine the baby
Jesus, leaving presents wherever there are children.

Kriss Kringle

In Germany, after the reformation, the leaders of the Protestant Church considered Saint Nicholas to be a bit too Catholic for their tastes. Again, rather than eliminate the custom of the gift giver, a replacement was made. This time by a person known as Krist Kindlein, Das Christkindl, or the Christ Child. This character appeared as a young boy (or girl) dressed as an angel with white robe, golden wings, and a golden crown. ‘Kris Kringle’ is a name derived from Krist-Kindlein, or the infant Christ.

Santa Claus Comes to the New World

Santa’s Workshop

The Mayflower came to the new world in 1620, and Santa Claus was not far behind. When the Dutch settled New Amsterdam, now New York in 1630, they brought their version of Saint Nicholas to the new world. I’m very glad to report that ‘Black Peter’ failed to survive the trans-Atlantic journey. At about this time a cousin of Santa Claus made his way into the homes of England. His name was ‘Father Christmas.’ Santa was known as a man who loved to work with his hands. His workshop was legendary as he created so many handmade toys for children. He saw children in the streets with smudged faces and tattered clothes.

Nicholas knew they were orphans who lived in the streets. He knew that no one would be buying them a Christmas present this year, or any other year. Nicholas walked sadly in the gathering dark, remembering the look of longing on their dirty faces. One boy had longingly wished for a toy soldier. Suddenly, he stopped in the middle of the street. “That boy will have a toy soldier!” he exclaimed. “I’ll make it for him!”

Santa Grows and Develops

In 1823, ‘The Night Before Christmas,’ attributed to Clement Moore, was published in the New York Sentinel. It was immediately popular. Moore’s description of jolly old Saint Nick presented a new graphic image of what Santa was like. The bishop’s red robe gave way to a fur-trimmed suit; the erect saintly stature sagged to jolly rotundity. Santa is elf-like and he smokes a pipe. His white horse was replaced by eight reindeer (nine counting Rudolph,) and they pulled a sleigh. In 1863, Thomas Nast, the well-known cartoonist for Harper’s Illustrated Weekly, gave us a literal presentation of Santa Claus in the Christmas issue, 1863.

More recent developments

It’s possible that there will never be an ending to the evolution of Santa
Claus. We keep seeing minor changes. In the 1930s the Coca Cola Company
published ads of Santa drinking their product. These ads were very well
received, and our perception of Santa changed once again.

The ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ took away much of Santa’s elfin quality. He
became more human and it placed him in the department stores.

Since the world has seen Tim Allen’s movie, ‘The Santa Clause,’ there is no
question in anyone’s mind as to what Santa’s workshop at the North Pole looks
like. What can be next?

It’s true that Santa brings joy to the faces of the children as we chat with
them; however, the affection of the children and its reciprocal effect on Santa
is, in itself, its own reward.