This name
comes from the country Finland. Literally meaning: Yule Buck. This Old
pagan tradition remained strong in Finland but got a Christian flavor
as time went by.
Pagan people used to have festivities to ward off evil spirits. In Finland
these spirits of darkness wore goat skins and horns. In the beginning
this creature didn't give presents but demanded them. The Christmas Goat
was an ugly creature and frightened children. It is unclear how this personality
was transformed into the benevolent Father Christmas. Nowadays the only
remaining feature is the name. The process was probably a continuous amalgamation
of many old folk customs and beliefs from varied sources. One can speak
of a Christmas pageant tradition consisting of many personages with roles
partly Christian, partly pagan: A white-bearded saint, the Devil, demons,
house gnomes, whatnot. Nowadays the Joulupukki of Finland resembles the
American Santa Claus. Popular radio programs from the year 1927 onwards
probably had great influence in reformatting the concept with the Santa-like
costume, reindeer and Korvatunturi (Mount Ear, near Polar Circle) as its
dwelling place. Because there really are reindeer in Finland, and we are
living up North, the popular American cult took root in Finland very fast.
Maybe some caring soul decided the Joulupukki is just too scary for little
kids.Today, Finland is one of the few countries where kids actually see
Father Christmas in the act of delivering the presents and probably the
only country where the Saint really does ask the children if they behaved
during the year.
Multi-Cultural
Santa
In the United
States and Canada, his name is Santa Claus. In China, he is called Shengdan
Laoren. In England, his name is Father Christmas , where he has a longer
coat and a longer beard. In France, he's known as Pere Noel. In Germany,
children get presents from Christindl, the Christ Child.
In
Puerto Rico, children receive gifts from the Three Kings on January 6th,
also called the celebration of Epiphany, the 3 Kings' Day. Each child
puts grass under their bed for the camels. In the morning the grass is
replaced with gifts. Also, Puerto Rico, being part of the United States,
does its major gift giving on December 25, with the Christmas Tree and
Santa Claus - in this sense, Puerto Rico is totally Americanized.
Epiphany
remains a part of the holiday season in Puerto Rico and is a day off from
school. Giving gifts then is more for traditional values than the actual
gift-giving celebration. Unless one wants to make a specific statement
about the importance of maintaining traditional purity (anti-commercialism)
and disassociation from American influence.
However,
the celebration of Epiphany is not just in Puerto Rico. Some nations say
it is the 3 Kings who bring the toys, while others credit Baby Jesus,
since it was He who received and wants to share.
In
Italy Babbo Natale, which means Father Christmas, is Santa. Children put
a pair of their shoes by the door on the day before Epiphany and the following
morning they find them filled with small gifts and candy. Italy, like
Spain, Portugal and most of the Latin American nations ( or countries
speaking Romance languages ), is mostly Catholic. December 25 is a day
of more religious observance, remembering the birth of Christ. The Epiphany,
called Little Christmas, is the day for gift giving. However, Babbo Natale
does come on Christmas Eve in some parts of Italy.
In
Spain children leave their shoes under the Christmas tree the night of
January 5th and presents from the Three Kings (Los Reyes Magos: Melchor,
Gaspar and Baltasar) appear the next morning. Santa Claus is called Papa
Noel and some children receive presents both days on December 24th (from
Papa Noel) and on January 6th (from the Three Kings).
In
Morocco he is known as Black Peter
In
Japan, Santa Clause is called Santa Clause or just "Santa".
Children often call him "Santa no ojisan," which means "Uncle
Santa." (This information comes to you via the courtesy of Mr. Kazuo
Miyasako of Dokkyo University. Many thanks go to the readers of Lone Star
Internet)
In
Sweden Jultomten visits the evening before Christmas day, pulling a big
bag of julklappar (Christmas presents) in the deep snow.
På
Norsk ( in Norwegian ) "Julenissen" arrives on the evening of
the 24th.
In
the Netherlands, he is called Kerstman.
In
Finland, he is called Joulupukki.
Sinter
Klaas in Dutch. He rides a white horse, leaving gifts in wooden shoes
In
Russia, he is called Grandfather Frost that is "ded moroz" (the
second "o" has its accent and the last "z" is pronouned
as "s".)
He
is also called Kris Kringle - which comes from the German term "the
Christ Child"
(Christ Kind).
