Santa makes me feel festive – Day #5

Can someone explain how a fat man in a red suit gets everyone to feel festive? Is it just because he brings presents?

Doing some research for this post I have discovered that the idea of Father Christmas goes way back to Henry VIII time when a jovial chap in fur lined green or red represented the season of good cheer, good wine and food and hopefully peace and joy to all. The idea of a gift-giver in winter has origins across Europe with a variety of names – St Nicholas, Sinterklaas, Santa, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle amongst others.

The round tummy is synonymous with plenty, especially food and his way of entering homes via a chimney or window also has it’s roots in Europe.

This Santa was seen climbing into an upper floor window at a Galleries in Rochester, Kent. The city, known for it’s Dickens Festival in the summer was decked appropriately for the season on a Victorian theme.

These two shared the window of a bakers that also did coffee and teas. They were keeping up the tradition of the fur lined hats and coats as well as the rounded middles!

I suspect for the children, it is the possibility of a present that makes Santa special for them. As traditionally children were only rewarded when they had been good, the concept of writing to Santa to tell him just how good you have been does act as insurance! As for the distance he travels and his companions the reindeers, it is thought this came about from the poem ‘Twas the night before Christmas’ published in 1823.

Of course with all the modern gadgetry available it is getting harder for parents to keep the secrets that go with this cheery fellow especially as he can be tracked by GPS as he visits from the north pole!

Whatever the origins and whatever you believe, the concept of the winter, which is normally cold and hard, having a bright red fellow spreading happiness to all has to be a good thing – doesn’t it?