St. Nicholas made his first inroads into American popular culture towards the end of the 18th century. In December 1773, and again in 1774, a New York newspaper reported that groups of Dutch families had gathered to honor the anniversary of his death. Nevertheless, the festive season continues to celebrate family, generosity, and love – with the added bonus of a cheerful old man in a red suit who brings happiness to children everywhere. Is Father Christmas real?

During the English Civil War, criticism of Christmas by Puritans increased, this led to Parliament banning Christmas altogether in 1647. Shown with a fur-trimmed, old-fashioned gown and a white beardFrom Saint Nicholas to the jolly old elf, we know and love today, Santa has evolved over the centuries. And then Father Christmas met Santa Claus … Father Christmas, in The Untold Story of Father Christmas, is actually just a toy maker who is very good at his job. He creates loads of toys to sell in villages, for all of the children who’s parents can afford them. He has a lovely wife called Mary who helps him create his toys, however, they both are saddened when they are unable to have a child of their own. This sadness is doubled during the winter months, when the children of their village who are unable to afford new toys are not gifted with any for Christmas.

The German Christmas tree, popularised by Prince Albert and Queen Victoria, became a permanent fixture in British homes, while the act of gift-giving shifted from New Year to Christmas. Through the Victorians’ reinvention of Christmas, Father Christmas has maintained his place as a popular figure, albeit one that is now interchangeable with Santa Claus. It’s also worth noting that it is a myth that Coca-Cola invented Santa, the fizzy-pop-pushers didn’t begin to use Santa to advertise their drinks until the 1930s. Later, in Tudor and Stuart times, the ‘Lord of Misrule’ oversaw Christmas festivities in aristocratic homes. Other names included ‘Prince Christmas’, ‘The Christmas Lord’ and ‘Captain Christmas’. In none of these depictions was he an old man with a white beard.In 1939, May wrote a Christmas-themed story-poem to help bring holiday traffic into his store. Using a similar rhyme pattern to Moore’s “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” May told the story of Rudolph, a young reindeer who was teased by the other deer because of his large, glowing, red nose. But, When Christmas Eve turned foggy and Santa worried that he wouldn’t be able to deliver gifts that night, the former outcast saved Christmas by leading the sleigh by the light of his red nose. Rudolph’s message—that given the opportunity, a liability can be turned into an asset—proved popular. In 1822, Clement Clarke Moore, an Episcopal minister, wrote a long Christmas poem for his three daughters entitled “An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas,” more popularly known as “‘Twas The Night Before Christmas.”

However, the Victorians of the ruling classes needed an alternative figure to Father Christmas, who was infamous for his love of parties. They sought a jolly and generous character dedicated to children and Santa Claus emerged as the perfect fit. Johnson’s character appeared in old-fashioned clothes, sported a long thin beard and was accompanied by several of his children, each personifying a tradition from the period. By the end of the 19th century, Punch magazine had depicted two versions of the gift giver extraordinaire. ‘Father Christmas not-up-to-date’ was an outdated figure focused solely on festive food, while ‘Father Christmas up-to-date’ was a modern, car-driving figure delivering fun toys. The English Father Christmas had now almost completely evolved into the American Santa Claus in all but name. According to historians, Santa first appeared in England in 1864, co-starring with Father Christmas in a story by American author Susanna Warner. In her tale, Santa brought gifts while Father Christmas appeared in a pantomime-type of play.

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The origins of Father Christmas start with the legend of Saint Nicholas in the third century who was known for his generosity and kindness. He was a Greek, living in the Roman Empire and his birthplace, Patara, is now part of Turkey. As Europe evolved and spread its traditions, Sinterklaas eventually inspired the development of Father Christmas in England. While the two icons share similarities – such as delivering gifts to children – it’s clear that Father Christmas is far less frightening than his predecessor. From LaplandUK, this video helps explain how Father Christmas is a staple of our festive celebrations. Then in 1821, a poem called ‘Old Santeclaus with Much Delight’ was published that described Santa wearing a red coat, a riding a sleigh pulled by reindeer. By now, the traditional day for the delivery of presents had moved from St Nicholas’ Day to Christmas Eve. You might like to know what the last posting day is for children in the UK who want to write to Father Christmas. The Royal Mail can help!