From: markbr%radian@natinst.com (markbr)
Subject: Re: Santa Claus
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 19:21:40 GMT
Organization: n.o.y.b

In article <C049nt.3yG@unixhub.SLAC.Stanford.EDU> joann@ariadne.SLAC.Stanford.EDU (Jo Ann Malina) writes:
>In article <lisg7rINN4mq@news.bbn.com> dhardin@bbn.com (Dawn Hardin) writes:
>>In article <Bz9v5A.44L@world.std.com>, marty@world.std.com (Marty M HaleEvans) writes:
>>> dhardin@bbn.com (Dawn Hardin) writes:
>>> 
>>> I still leave cookies for Santa, because I consider it a ritual to help feed
>>> that spirit and keep it living in all of us. Maybe one day it will become
>>> strong enough to stick around for more of the year. Of course, I have to eat
>>> them myself sometimes, but I kinda think of that as taking in the spirit and
>>> resolving to "keep Christmas in my heart".
>>
>>Leaving cookies for Santa is a great idea.  Only is Santa really the best
>>choice for the role of *Santa*?  Are any of the incarnations of Solstice
>>gift giver more noticeably pagan?  Father Christmas doesn't cut it.
>>Saint Nicholas obviously doesn't cut it.  Is Santa one of the purely
>>Christian inventions for Christmas, or does he come over from some earlier
>>pagan tradition?
>>
>>Maybe we could leave the cookies for the Solstice Elves instead?  
>
>Santa as we know him is not particularly Christian.  Our image goes back
>most noticeably to the 19th Century poem, A Visit From Saint Nicholas,
>which was partly inspired by the drawings of Thomas Nast (who also gave
>us the Republican elephant and Democratic donkey).  The name comes from
>the Dutch (Sinterklaas) in New York, renamed Santa Claus by the English
>there.
>
>But a lot of the imagery is pagan, especially Germanic.  Odin had an 8
>legged horse named Sleipnir, the probable origin of the 8 reindeer
>(if you find this unlikely, ask youself: why 8?).  He brought winter
>rewards and punishments.  Thor's color was red (a friend claims he
>wore a red suit trimmed with white fur). He fought the ice and snow
>and conquered the cold at midwinter.  He also rode in a sleigh pulled
>by goats.  Hertha, goddess from whom we get the word "earth," brought
>gifts of good fortune and health at the solstice time.  Reindeer are
>animals from the far north, and elves are Germanic spirits as fairies
>are Celtic ones.
>
>One interpretation I've read to explain why Santa comes down the
>chimney seems a bit of a stretch, but I'll repeat it for your
>contemplation: Odin was a shaman as well as (before he became?) a
>god, and initiations were held in kiva-type structures with only a
>hole in the roof to let the smoke from the central fire out, and which
>was the only entrance, so the shaman would descend through this
>smokey hole.  Before you dismiss it out of hand, consider that dropping
>into a burning fire without getting hurt is a pretty magical act,
>something only a god or shaman would be able to get away with.
>
>Of course, when I was growing up, we didn't have a fireplace, just a
>chimney that goes straight down into the furnace, so Santa slid down
>the TV antenna.  Made as much sense to me at age 5 as lots of other
>stuff the adults told me.  Also the TV has replaced the hearth as
>the center of family life...
>
>The Romans celebrated Saturnalia at this time of year. They gave gifts
>and decorated their homes with greenery; fresh boughs were brought
>from the grove of the goddess Strenia at the time of the Kalends of
>January.  The Druids also decorated with green plants (holly and
>mistletoe, as well as evergreens) during the solstice celebrations
>held by the Celts at this time of year.
>
>Take the Teutonic images, Roman customs, Celtic survivals, and add to
>them St. Nicholas, patron saint of children, who was by all reports a
>generous man who gave anonymous gifts (until someone spied and caught
>him at it), add to them the early Christian need to mythologize the
>birth of Jesus and co-opt the solstice celebrations (Christmas was set
>at December 25 in the 4th Century for just this purpose).  Run them
>through Victorian sentimentality.
>
>Those are the origins of Santa Claus, and many of the other "Christmas"
>customs.  They are as pagan as mistletoe or the Yule log.  Enjoy Santa,
>share him with your kids, and don't think that this season belongs to
>the Christians, it doesn't.  It belongs to everyone who depends on the
>sun for their life, and that's all of us.
>
>Of course, I don't mind the Christians sharing our customs, as long
>as they don't get huffy about origins and ownership ;-)
>
Gee, maybe we could all agree on a pagan version of S.Claus (talk about
optimistic!), and promulgate it next year. Gee, I could just see news
stories, and tear-jerker movies, etc. (And, boy, wouldn't the "Put
Christ back in Christmas" folks get *irritated*!). Actually, that would
be a great way to start a REAL old-time religous revival.... And since,
as I've read elsewhere on news, the Economist says that usenet is a
conspiracy (one of many), we probably have *LOTS* of power.... (B-^}

	mark