Santa Claus' FAQ
Who is Santa Claus?
Santa Claus has a variety of different names in different languages, but they all refer to the person of St Nicholas who was born many centuries ago in the 4th century (born c 245 AD, and died c 350 AD, various sources list various dates) in Lycia, Anatolia, a province on the southwest coast of Asia Minor (present day Turkey). He was born in Patara, a seaport. St Nicholas became a bishop of the church at Myra. Few documents exist which mention him, however legends of his generosity exist throughout most churches. Thousands of churches in the Middle Ages were dedicated to him.
St Nicholas performed a number of miracles, all associated with gift giving. His feast day was December 6, so think of St Nicholas on December 6th and December 25th.
In 1823, Clement C. Moore wrote "A Visit from St Nicholas", which showed Santa Claus driving a sleight drawn by 'eight tiny reindeer" and in doing so he created an image we all have today. Thomas Nast drew Santa Claus based on Moore's description cementing in this image.
The probable origins of various traditions which then spread around the world:
Gifts: St Nicholas (gift giver) and the Magi (the three wise men/Persian Priests from Orient bringing gifts for Jesus) and from pagan (Roman) Saturnalia custom.
Reindeer: reindeer are from the north (e.g.: Finland) and they are cute, Santa needed transportation
Chimney: St Nicholas legend (see below). Also, in England and the United states Santa comes secretly and so the entrance must be secret and easy to use without the help of adults. In Germany and Scandinavia often Santa comes through the door.
North Pole: America's Father Christmas dwells there, it is a winter festival, Santa Claus needed somewhere to live
Hat: bishop's mitre of St Nicholas, the headgear of the Magi, and perhaps the Phrygian headgear of the French Revolution.
Beard: St Nicholas, the Magi are bearded, white because of age.
Costume: cloak from St Nicholas, and perhaps the Magi. The fur probably added to fit the Northern legend.
Sock: hung by the chimney to dry and they make a good repository for presents.
Candles (and now lights) symbolize or were part of: paradise, end of the days getting shorter, warmth, summer, Jewish Hanukkah, festiveness, keeping the darkness at bay
Holly: Christ's crown of thorns and others
Gnomes: pagan (some celebrations)
Straw: stable and crib, readily available, pagan
Christmas Crib: Jesus' stable in Bethlehem. Legend says it was started by St Francis of Assisi.
Red, green, and white colors: green came from evergreen trees (e.g.: fir & holly), red from holly berries, red and white also from the bishop's mitre and cape worn in religious ceremonies by St Nicholas, white from the snow seen on evergreen's during the holiday season, white from St Nicholas's beard, and white from the light of the Star seen over the stable. Red may also have come from pagan ceremonies.
Cookies and milk being left out for Santa Claus: the modern Christmas tree tradition came from western Germany, from a medieval custom, as a paradise tree- a tree decorated with apples, wafers & cookies. When the paradise tree merged with Christianity and became part of the Christmas celebration cookies and wafers were still part of the decorations. As time passed Santa would often snack on a decoration (to keep in shape!). Children (and perhaps parents) noticed that there were decorations that had been snacked on (although in old times the snacking was done by mice too) and so began leaving them out on plates by the fire- partially to keep them close to Santa's entrance and partially to keep the mice away. Homes that did not use wafers or cookies thought it would be nice to leave out something for me to munch on too after hearing stories from other families about how much Santa enjoyed their cookies. Eventually fewer and fewer people decorated the tree with food but wanted to keep up the tradition of leaving something for Santa Claus. Eventually the origin was lost to common knowledge, but we have included it with the FAQ now. As for the milk, it was only natural that people would be considerate enough to leave milk with the cookies!
Why is Santa 'heavy'? Well, if you read the information about the cookies and milk above you'll see why [b]Santa used to be shown as thinner than he is now- not everyone used to leave out cookies for him!
________________________
What is a legend of St Nicholas?
There are many legends of St Nicholas, but this is the most famous legend and it includes elements of today's Santa
A nobleman who lived with his three daughters had fallen on hard times. The daughters had no chance of marriage, since their father could not pay their dowries. He even thought of putting his daughters into prostitution.
One night, St Nicholas threw a sack of gold through a window of the nobleman's shabby castle, which was enough for one daughter's marriage. The next night, he tossed another sack of gold through the window for the second daughter.
But on the third night, the window was closed. So, St Nicholas climbed onto the roof and dropped the sack down the chimney. The next morning, the daughters found the gold in the stockings they had hung to dry by the fireplace.
Hence leaving the stockings out for Santa Claus.
What other names is Santa Claus or Father Christmas known by?
Weihnachtsmann in Germany for Christmas Man
Kris Kringle from the southern Germany Christkindle, meaning Christ child. This mutated in some areas of the world into a name for Santa Claus.
Pere Noel in France
Papa Noel in many Spanish speaking countries
Sinter Claus (or Sinterklaas, Sinte Klaas) in the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam (now New York City)
Other variations of his name range from Sant Nikolaas to Sante Klaas.
The Italian Befana is a similar figure as is Russia's grandmotherly Babouschka which actually means grandmother.
Denmark he's called Julemanden(Christmas Man)
Joulupukki (Yule Buck), evolved from the Christmas Goat used to frighten children in Finland. Korvatunturi (Mount Ear, near Polar Circle) is often portrayed as his home. The children see Santa and he asks if they have been good.
Nicholas of Bari.
Nicholas of Myra
Is St Nicholas patron saint of anyone?
Yes! St Nicholas is the patron saint of Russia, of children, and of sailors. He also has been patron saint of Moscow, Greece, prisoners, bakers, pawnbrokers, shopkeepers and wolves.
__________________There are many legends of St Nicholas, but this is the most famous legend and it includes elements of today's Santa
A nobleman who lived with his three daughters had fallen on hard times. The daughters had no chance of marriage, since their father could not pay their dowries. He even thought of putting his daughters into prostitution.
One night, St Nicholas threw a sack of gold through a window of the nobleman's shabby castle, which was enough for one daughter's marriage. The next night, he tossed another sack of gold through the window for the second daughter.
But on the third night, the window was closed. So, St Nicholas climbed onto the roof and dropped the sack down the chimney. The next morning, the daughters found the gold in the stockings they had hung to dry by the fireplace.
Hence leaving the stockings out for Santa Claus.
What other names is Santa Claus or Father Christmas known by?
Weihnachtsmann in Germany for Christmas Man
Kris Kringle from the southern Germany Christkindle, meaning Christ child. This mutated in some areas of the world into a name for Santa Claus.
Pere Noel in France
Papa Noel in many Spanish speaking countries
Sinter Claus (or Sinterklaas, Sinte Klaas) in the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam (now New York City)
Other variations of his name range from Sant Nikolaas to Sante Klaas.
The Italian Befana is a similar figure as is Russia's grandmotherly Babouschka which actually means grandmother.
Denmark he's called Julemanden(Christmas Man)
Joulupukki (Yule Buck), evolved from the Christmas Goat used to frighten children in Finland. Korvatunturi (Mount Ear, near Polar Circle) is often portrayed as his home. The children see Santa and he asks if they have been good.
Nicholas of Bari.
Nicholas of Myra
Is St Nicholas patron saint of anyone?
Yes! St Nicholas is the patron saint of Russia, of children, and of sailors. He also has been patron saint of Moscow, Greece, prisoners, bakers, pawnbrokers, shopkeepers and wolves.
Jolly Old St Nicholas
Jolly old Saint Nicholas,
Lean your ear this way!
Don't you tell a single soul
What I'm going to say;
Christmas Eve is coming soon;
Now, you dear old man,
Whisper what you'll bring to me;
Tell me if you can.
When the clock is striking twelve,
When I'm fast asleep,
Down the chimney broad and black,
With your pack you'll creep;
All the stockings you will find
Hanging in a row;
Mine will be the shortest one,
You'll be sure to know.
Johnny wants a pair of skates;
Susy wants a dolly;
Nellie wants a story book;
She thinks dolls are folly;
As for me, my little brain
Isn't very bright;
Choose for me, old Santa Claus,
What you think is right.
Wilfred Carter ??? (???)
__________________Jolly old Saint Nicholas,
Lean your ear this way!
Don't you tell a single soul
What I'm going to say;
Christmas Eve is coming soon;
Now, you dear old man,
Whisper what you'll bring to me;
Tell me if you can.
When the clock is striking twelve,
When I'm fast asleep,
Down the chimney broad and black,
With your pack you'll creep;
All the stockings you will find
Hanging in a row;
Mine will be the shortest one,
You'll be sure to know.
Johnny wants a pair of skates;
Susy wants a dolly;
Nellie wants a story book;
She thinks dolls are folly;
As for me, my little brain
Isn't very bright;
Choose for me, old Santa Claus,
What you think is right.
Wilfred Carter ??? (???)
The Peasants and the Saints
St Nicholas, whose feast day is celebrated on 6 December, was famed for his kindness. He is the inspiration of Santa Claus. In this Russian folktalee collected from Yarosalvl province, his clemency contrasts with the punitive anger of the Prophet Elijah
There was once a peasant who loved St Nicholas but had no time for the Prophet Elijah.
He would devoutly light a candle before the icon of St Nicholas on his feast day, but when the Prophet's festival came around he went about his business as usual, going out into the fields when he should have been observing the holiday.
1 day the Prophet Elijah & St Nicholas were walking together & happened to cross the field farmed by the peasant. St Nicholas remarked on the tall crops that promised a bumper harvest but the Prophet Elijah muttered angrily that he had no intention of letting the peasant harvest the grain- he would send hailstorms & lightning blasts to flatten the field.
St Nicholas went to the peasant & advised him to sell the crops to the priest of the village church dedicated to the Prophet Elijah. The peasant did as he was told. Within a week, a hailstorm had devastated the peasant's field.
The next time the Saint & the Prophet were passing the field, Elijah boasted that he had taken revenge on the disrespectful peasant, but Nicholas pointed out that the blow had fallen not on the peasant but on Elijah's own priest. The Prophet immediately vowed to restore the field to its former glory.
On hearing this, St Nicholas visited the peasant again & told him to buy the field back; the priest was only too happy to sell it.
Over the next weeks a miracle occurred. The Prophet Elijah sent sunshine & gentle rains & the field sprouted a new crop of tall rye- as if a golden rug had been flung across it.
When Elijah proudly showed his handiwork to Nicholas, only to learn that he'd been tricked again, he flew into fury.
He promised that no matter how many sheaves the peasant put on the threshing floor, they wouldn't yield a single grain.
St Nicholas now told the peasant to thresh 1 sheaf at a time, & by doing this the man was able to amass a vast store of grain- so much that he had to bulid new barns.
When the Prophet Elijah saw this, he accused the Saint of helping the peasant & he didn't deny it. The Prophet laughed but he wouldn't tell the Saintwhat he would do next.
The Saint flew to the peasant & gave him 1 last piece of advice.
The very next day St Nicholas & the Prophet Elijah, disguissed as poor pilgrims, met the peasant on the road near his field. He was carrying 1 large & 1 small candle. When the Saint asked him where he was going, the man said he planned to light the large candle before an icon of the Prophet Elijah for having given him such a wonderful crops, while the small candle for St Nicholas. The Prophet Elijah was finally pacified & from that day onward the peasant honoured both the Prophet & the Saint & lived a fine & contented life.
__________________St Nicholas, whose feast day is celebrated on 6 December, was famed for his kindness. He is the inspiration of Santa Claus. In this Russian folktalee collected from Yarosalvl province, his clemency contrasts with the punitive anger of the Prophet Elijah
There was once a peasant who loved St Nicholas but had no time for the Prophet Elijah.
He would devoutly light a candle before the icon of St Nicholas on his feast day, but when the Prophet's festival came around he went about his business as usual, going out into the fields when he should have been observing the holiday.
1 day the Prophet Elijah & St Nicholas were walking together & happened to cross the field farmed by the peasant. St Nicholas remarked on the tall crops that promised a bumper harvest but the Prophet Elijah muttered angrily that he had no intention of letting the peasant harvest the grain- he would send hailstorms & lightning blasts to flatten the field.
St Nicholas went to the peasant & advised him to sell the crops to the priest of the village church dedicated to the Prophet Elijah. The peasant did as he was told. Within a week, a hailstorm had devastated the peasant's field.
The next time the Saint & the Prophet were passing the field, Elijah boasted that he had taken revenge on the disrespectful peasant, but Nicholas pointed out that the blow had fallen not on the peasant but on Elijah's own priest. The Prophet immediately vowed to restore the field to its former glory.
On hearing this, St Nicholas visited the peasant again & told him to buy the field back; the priest was only too happy to sell it.
Over the next weeks a miracle occurred. The Prophet Elijah sent sunshine & gentle rains & the field sprouted a new crop of tall rye- as if a golden rug had been flung across it.
When Elijah proudly showed his handiwork to Nicholas, only to learn that he'd been tricked again, he flew into fury.
He promised that no matter how many sheaves the peasant put on the threshing floor, they wouldn't yield a single grain.
St Nicholas now told the peasant to thresh 1 sheaf at a time, & by doing this the man was able to amass a vast store of grain- so much that he had to bulid new barns.
When the Prophet Elijah saw this, he accused the Saint of helping the peasant & he didn't deny it. The Prophet laughed but he wouldn't tell the Saintwhat he would do next.
The Saint flew to the peasant & gave him 1 last piece of advice.
The very next day St Nicholas & the Prophet Elijah, disguissed as poor pilgrims, met the peasant on the road near his field. He was carrying 1 large & 1 small candle. When the Saint asked him where he was going, the man said he planned to light the large candle before an icon of the Prophet Elijah for having given him such a wonderful crops, while the small candle for St Nicholas. The Prophet Elijah was finally pacified & from that day onward the peasant honoured both the Prophet & the Saint & lived a fine & contented life.
Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer
You know Dasher and Dancer
And Prancer and Vixen,
Comet and Cupid
And Donner and Blitzen.
But do you recall
The most famous reindeer of all?
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
(reindeer)
Had a very shiny nose
(like a light bulb)
And if you ever saw it
(saw it)
You would even say it glows
(like a flash light)
All of the other reindeer
(reindeer)
Used to laugh and call him names
(like bozzo)
They never let poor Rudolph
(Rudolph)
Join in any reindeer games
(like monopoly)
Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say
(Ho Ho Ho)
Rudolph with your nose so bright
Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?
Then all the reindeer loved him
(loved him)
And they shouted out with glee
(yippee)
"Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
(reindeer)
You'll go down in history!"
(like Columbus)
Johnny Marks (1949)
__________________You know Dasher and Dancer
And Prancer and Vixen,
Comet and Cupid
And Donner and Blitzen.
But do you recall
The most famous reindeer of all?
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
(reindeer)
Had a very shiny nose
(like a light bulb)
And if you ever saw it
(saw it)
You would even say it glows
(like a flash light)
All of the other reindeer
(reindeer)
Used to laugh and call him names
(like bozzo)
They never let poor Rudolph
(Rudolph)
Join in any reindeer games
(like monopoly)
Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say
(Ho Ho Ho)
Rudolph with your nose so bright
Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?
Then all the reindeer loved him
(loved him)
And they shouted out with glee
(yippee)
"Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
(reindeer)
You'll go down in history!"
(like Columbus)
Johnny Marks (1949)
"My Naughty Little Sister"
In this delightful My Naughty Little Sister series, Dorothy Edwards recalls her own mischievous and lively childhood in the 1950s English suburb as she herself takes the role of big sister, who is the narrator of this story. This charming particular episode tells her encounter with Father Christmas in a school Christmas party and how she behaved.
This is such a terrible story about my naughty little sister that I hardly know how to tell it to you. It is about one Christmas-time.
Now, my naughty little sister was very pleased when Christmas began to draw near, because she liked all the excitement of the plum-puddings and the turkeys, and the crackers and the holly, and all the Christmassy-looking shops, but there was one very awful thing about her- she didn't like to think about Father Christmas at all- she said he was a horrid old man!
There- I know you would be shocked at that. But she did. And she said she wouldn't put up her stocking for him.
My mother told my naughty little sister what a good old man Father Christmas was, and how he brought the toys along on Christmas Eve, but my naughty little sister said, "I don't care. And I don't want that nasty old man coming to our house."
Well now, that was enough, wasn't it? But the really dreadful thing happened later on.
This is the dreadful thing: one day, my school-teacher said that a Father Christmas would be coming to the school to bring presents for all the children, and my teacher said that the Father Christmas would have toys for all our little brothers and sisters as well, if they cared to come along for them. She said that there would be a real Christmas-tree with candles on it, and sweeties and cups of tea and biscuits for our mothers.
Wasn't that a nice thought? Well now, when I told my little sister about the Christmas-tree, she said, "Oh, nice!"
And when I told her about the sweeties she said, "very, very nice!" But when I told her about the Father Christmas, she said, "Don't want him, nasty old man."
Still, my mother said, "You can't go to the Christmas-tree without seeing him, so if you don't want to see him all that much, you wil have to stay at home."
But my naughty little sister did want to go, very much, so she said, "I will go, and when the horrid Father Christmas comes in, I will close my eyes."
So, we all went to the Christmas-tree together, my mother, and I, and my naughty little sister.
When we got to the school, my naughty little sister was very pleased to see all the pretty paperchains that we had mad ein school hanging all around the classrooms, and when she saw all the little lanterns, and the holly and all the robin-redbreast drawings pinned on the blackboards she smiled and smiled. She was very smily at first
All the mothers, and the little brothers and sisters who were too young for school, sat down in chairs and desks, and all the big school children acted a play for them.
My naughty little sister was very excited to see all the children dressed up as angels
and robins and elves and Bo-peeps and things, and she clapped her hands very hard, like all the grown-ups did, to show that she was enjoying herself. And she still smiled.
Then, when some of the teachers came round with bags of sweets, tied up in pretty coloured paper, my naughty little sister smiled even more, and she sang too when all the children sang. She sang "Away in a Manger", because she knew the words very well. When she didn't know the words of some of the singing she 'la-la'd'.
After all the singing, the teachers put out the lights, and took away a big screen from a corner of the room, and there was the christmas-tree, all lit up with candles and shining with silvery stuff, and little shiny coloured balls. There were lots of toys on the tree, and all the children cheered and clapped.
Then the teachers put the lights on again, and blew out the candles so thatw e could all go and look at the tree. My little sister went too. She looked at the tree, and she looked at the toys, and she saw a specially nice doll with a blue dress on, she said, "For me."
My mother said, "You must wait and see what you are given."
Then the teachers called out, "Back to your seats everyone, we have a visitor coming." So all the children went back to their seats, and sat still and waited and listened.
And, as we waited and listened, we heard a tinkle-tinkle bell noise, and then the schoolroom door opened, and in walked the Father Christmas. My naughty little sister had forgotten all bout him, so she hadn't time to close her eyes before he walked in. However, when she saw him, my little sister stopped smiling and began to be stubborn.
Dorothy Edwards (1952)
__________________In this delightful My Naughty Little Sister series, Dorothy Edwards recalls her own mischievous and lively childhood in the 1950s English suburb as she herself takes the role of big sister, who is the narrator of this story. This charming particular episode tells her encounter with Father Christmas in a school Christmas party and how she behaved.
This is such a terrible story about my naughty little sister that I hardly know how to tell it to you. It is about one Christmas-time.
Now, my naughty little sister was very pleased when Christmas began to draw near, because she liked all the excitement of the plum-puddings and the turkeys, and the crackers and the holly, and all the Christmassy-looking shops, but there was one very awful thing about her- she didn't like to think about Father Christmas at all- she said he was a horrid old man!
There- I know you would be shocked at that. But she did. And she said she wouldn't put up her stocking for him.
My mother told my naughty little sister what a good old man Father Christmas was, and how he brought the toys along on Christmas Eve, but my naughty little sister said, "I don't care. And I don't want that nasty old man coming to our house."
Well now, that was enough, wasn't it? But the really dreadful thing happened later on.
This is the dreadful thing: one day, my school-teacher said that a Father Christmas would be coming to the school to bring presents for all the children, and my teacher said that the Father Christmas would have toys for all our little brothers and sisters as well, if they cared to come along for them. She said that there would be a real Christmas-tree with candles on it, and sweeties and cups of tea and biscuits for our mothers.
Wasn't that a nice thought? Well now, when I told my little sister about the Christmas-tree, she said, "Oh, nice!"
And when I told her about the sweeties she said, "very, very nice!" But when I told her about the Father Christmas, she said, "Don't want him, nasty old man."
Still, my mother said, "You can't go to the Christmas-tree without seeing him, so if you don't want to see him all that much, you wil have to stay at home."
But my naughty little sister did want to go, very much, so she said, "I will go, and when the horrid Father Christmas comes in, I will close my eyes."
So, we all went to the Christmas-tree together, my mother, and I, and my naughty little sister.
When we got to the school, my naughty little sister was very pleased to see all the pretty paperchains that we had mad ein school hanging all around the classrooms, and when she saw all the little lanterns, and the holly and all the robin-redbreast drawings pinned on the blackboards she smiled and smiled. She was very smily at first
All the mothers, and the little brothers and sisters who were too young for school, sat down in chairs and desks, and all the big school children acted a play for them.
My naughty little sister was very excited to see all the children dressed up as angels
and robins and elves and Bo-peeps and things, and she clapped her hands very hard, like all the grown-ups did, to show that she was enjoying herself. And she still smiled.Then, when some of the teachers came round with bags of sweets, tied up in pretty coloured paper, my naughty little sister smiled even more, and she sang too when all the children sang. She sang "Away in a Manger", because she knew the words very well. When she didn't know the words of some of the singing she 'la-la'd'.
After all the singing, the teachers put out the lights, and took away a big screen from a corner of the room, and there was the christmas-tree, all lit up with candles and shining with silvery stuff, and little shiny coloured balls. There were lots of toys on the tree, and all the children cheered and clapped.
Then the teachers put the lights on again, and blew out the candles so thatw e could all go and look at the tree. My little sister went too. She looked at the tree, and she looked at the toys, and she saw a specially nice doll with a blue dress on, she said, "For me."
My mother said, "You must wait and see what you are given."
Then the teachers called out, "Back to your seats everyone, we have a visitor coming." So all the children went back to their seats, and sat still and waited and listened.
And, as we waited and listened, we heard a tinkle-tinkle bell noise, and then the schoolroom door opened, and in walked the Father Christmas. My naughty little sister had forgotten all bout him, so she hadn't time to close her eyes before he walked in. However, when she saw him, my little sister stopped smiling and began to be stubborn.
Dorothy Edwards (1952)
"My Naughty Little Sister"
The Father Christmas was very nice. He said he hoped we were having a good time, and we all said. "Yes," except my naughty little sister- she didn't say a thing.
Then he said, "Now, one at a time, children, and I will give each one of you a toy."
So, first of all each schoolchild went up for a toy, and my naughty litlle sister still didn't shut her eyes because she weanted to see who was going to have the specially nice doll in the blue dress. But none of the school children had it.
Then Father Christmas began to call the little brothers and sisters up for presents, and, as he didn't know their names, he just said, "Come along, sonny," if it were a boy, and "come along, girlie," if it were a girl. The Father Christmas let the little brothers and sisters choose their own toys off the tree.
When my naughty little sister saw this, she was so worried about the specially nice doll, that she thought that she would just go up and get it.
She said, "I don't like that horrid old beardy man, but I do like that nice doll."
So, my naughty little sister got up without being asked to, and she went right out to the front where the Father Christmas was standing, and she said, "That doll, please," and pointed to the doll she wanted.
The Father Christmas laughed and all the teachers laughed, and the other mothers and the schoolchildren, and all the little brothers and sisters. My mother did not laugh because she was so shocked to see my naughty little sister going out without being asked to.
The Father Christmas took the specially nice doll off the tree, and he ahnded it to my naughty little sister and he said, "Well now, I hear you don't like me very much, but won't you just shake hands?" And my naughty little sister said, "No." But she took the doll all the same.
The Father Christmas put out his nice old han for her to shake and be friends, and do you know what that naughty bad girl did? She bit his hands. She really and truly did
Can you think of anything more dreadful and terrible? She bit Father Christmas' good old hand, and then she turned and ran and ran out of the school with all the children staring after her, and her doll held very tight in her arms.
The Father Christmas was very nice. He said it wasn't a hard bite, only a frightened one, and he made all teh children sing songs together.
When my naughty little sister was brought back by my mother, she said she was very sorry, and the Father Christmas said, "That's all right, old lady," and because he was so smily and nice to her, my funny little sister went right up to him, and gave him a big 'sorry' kiss
which pleased him very much.
And she hung her stocking up after all, and that kind man remember to fill it for her.
My little sister kept the specially nice doll until she was quite grown-up. She called it Rosy-primrose, and although she was sometimes bad-tempered with it, she really loved it very much indeed.
Dorothy Edwards (1952)
__________________The Father Christmas was very nice. He said he hoped we were having a good time, and we all said. "Yes," except my naughty little sister- she didn't say a thing.
Then he said, "Now, one at a time, children, and I will give each one of you a toy."
So, first of all each schoolchild went up for a toy, and my naughty litlle sister still didn't shut her eyes because she weanted to see who was going to have the specially nice doll in the blue dress. But none of the school children had it.
Then Father Christmas began to call the little brothers and sisters up for presents, and, as he didn't know their names, he just said, "Come along, sonny," if it were a boy, and "come along, girlie," if it were a girl. The Father Christmas let the little brothers and sisters choose their own toys off the tree.
When my naughty little sister saw this, she was so worried about the specially nice doll, that she thought that she would just go up and get it.
She said, "I don't like that horrid old beardy man, but I do like that nice doll."
So, my naughty little sister got up without being asked to, and she went right out to the front where the Father Christmas was standing, and she said, "That doll, please," and pointed to the doll she wanted.
The Father Christmas laughed and all the teachers laughed, and the other mothers and the schoolchildren, and all the little brothers and sisters. My mother did not laugh because she was so shocked to see my naughty little sister going out without being asked to.
The Father Christmas took the specially nice doll off the tree, and he ahnded it to my naughty little sister and he said, "Well now, I hear you don't like me very much, but won't you just shake hands?" And my naughty little sister said, "No." But she took the doll all the same.
The Father Christmas put out his nice old han for her to shake and be friends, and do you know what that naughty bad girl did? She bit his hands. She really and truly did
Can you think of anything more dreadful and terrible? She bit Father Christmas' good old hand, and then she turned and ran and ran out of the school with all the children staring after her, and her doll held very tight in her arms.The Father Christmas was very nice. He said it wasn't a hard bite, only a frightened one, and he made all teh children sing songs together.
When my naughty little sister was brought back by my mother, she said she was very sorry, and the Father Christmas said, "That's all right, old lady," and because he was so smily and nice to her, my funny little sister went right up to him, and gave him a big 'sorry' kiss
which pleased him very much.And she hung her stocking up after all, and that kind man remember to fill it for her.
My little sister kept the specially nice doll until she was quite grown-up. She called it Rosy-primrose, and although she was sometimes bad-tempered with it, she really loved it very much indeed.
Dorothy Edwards (1952)
Menyambut St Lucy's Day
From the time immemorial the people of Sweden have kept 13 December- the day when the sun stands still- as a festival of light. They knew that after this darkest day of the year (winter solstice)* the sun would return & the days lengthen.
When monks brought the Christian faith to Sweden a story of St Lucy, a Christian girl in the Sicilian town of Syracuse who suffered martyrdom under the persecution of the Emperor Diocletian, was narrated to them. It was said that St Lucy, whose name meant light (Latin: lux), brought to her fellow Christians hiding in the catacombs, wearing lighted candles on her head to leave her hands free.
So the pagan festival of light was given a new meaning & transformed into the Feast of St Lucy, held also in 13 December.
Early in the morning the girl chosen as St Lucy, 1 of the daughters in the family, steals quietly from bed & dresses in a white gown with red sash.
She arranges a crown of green leaves on her head to which are attached 5 tall white candles.
With great care she carries a tray of coffee & saffron cakes to the rest of the family still snug in bed. She usually sings them a special song in honour of St Lucy.
Town & villages, schools, offices, & factories have their own St Lucy & there is also an official St Lucy who visits children in hospitals & children's hoems.
Swedish settlers have taken their customs to the USA.
*)In the ancient time the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere didn't fall on 22 December as it does now but on 24 December, just as the summer solstice fell on 24 June, not on 21 June as it does now. When the Gregorian calendar reforms were instituted in the 17th century, St Lucy's Day shifted backward by 11 days to 13 Decembe.r
__________________From the time immemorial the people of Sweden have kept 13 December- the day when the sun stands still- as a festival of light. They knew that after this darkest day of the year (winter solstice)* the sun would return & the days lengthen.
When monks brought the Christian faith to Sweden a story of St Lucy, a Christian girl in the Sicilian town of Syracuse who suffered martyrdom under the persecution of the Emperor Diocletian, was narrated to them. It was said that St Lucy, whose name meant light (Latin: lux), brought to her fellow Christians hiding in the catacombs, wearing lighted candles on her head to leave her hands free.
So the pagan festival of light was given a new meaning & transformed into the Feast of St Lucy, held also in 13 December.
Early in the morning the girl chosen as St Lucy, 1 of the daughters in the family, steals quietly from bed & dresses in a white gown with red sash.
She arranges a crown of green leaves on her head to which are attached 5 tall white candles.
With great care she carries a tray of coffee & saffron cakes to the rest of the family still snug in bed. She usually sings them a special song in honour of St Lucy.
Town & villages, schools, offices, & factories have their own St Lucy & there is also an official St Lucy who visits children in hospitals & children's hoems.
Swedish settlers have taken their customs to the USA.
*)In the ancient time the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere didn't fall on 22 December as it does now but on 24 December, just as the summer solstice fell on 24 June, not on 21 June as it does now. When the Gregorian calendar reforms were instituted in the 17th century, St Lucy's Day shifted backward by 11 days to 13 Decembe.r
"A Nocturnall upon St Lucies Day"
'Tis the yeares midnight, and it is the dayes,
Lucies, who scarce seaven houres herself unmaskes,
The Sunne is spent, and now his flasks
Send forth light squibs, no constant rayes;
The worlds whole sap is sunke:
The generall balme th'hydroptique earth hath drunk,
Whither, as to the beds-feet, life is shrunke,
Dead and enterr'd; yet all these seeme to laugh,
Compar'd with mee, who am their Epitaph.
Study me then, you who shall lovers bee
At the next world, that is, at the next Spring:
For I am every dead thing,
In whom love wrought new Alchimie.
For his art did expresse
A quintessence even from nothingnesse,
From dull privations, and leane emptinesse:
He ruin'd mee, and I am re-begot
Of absence, darknesse, death; things which are not.
All others, from all things, draw all that's good,
Life, soule, forme, spirit, whence they beeing have;
I, by loves limbecke, am the grave
Of all, that's nothing. Oft a flood
Have wee two wept, and so
Drownd the whole world, us two; oft did we grow
To be two Chaosses, when we did show
Care to ought else; and often absences
Withdrew our soules, and made us carcasses.
But I am by her death, (which word wrongs her)
Of the first nothing, the Elixer grown;
Were I a man, that I were one,
I needs must know; I should preferre,
If I were any beast,
Some ends, some means; Yea plants, yea stones detest,
And love; All, all some properties invest;
If I an ordinary nothing were,
As shadow, a light, and body must be here.
But I am None; nor will my Sunne renew.
You lovers, for whose sake, the lesser Sunne
At this time to the Goat is runne
To fetch new lust, and give it you,
Enjoy your summer all;
Since shee enjoyes her long nights festivall,
Let mee prepare towards her, and let mee call
This houre her Vigill, and her Eve, since this
Both the yeares, and the dayes deep midnight is.
By John Donne (1572-1631)
__________________'Tis the yeares midnight, and it is the dayes,
Lucies, who scarce seaven houres herself unmaskes,
The Sunne is spent, and now his flasks
Send forth light squibs, no constant rayes;
The worlds whole sap is sunke:
The generall balme th'hydroptique earth hath drunk,
Whither, as to the beds-feet, life is shrunke,
Dead and enterr'd; yet all these seeme to laugh,
Compar'd with mee, who am their Epitaph.
Study me then, you who shall lovers bee
At the next world, that is, at the next Spring:
For I am every dead thing,
In whom love wrought new Alchimie.
For his art did expresse
A quintessence even from nothingnesse,
From dull privations, and leane emptinesse:
He ruin'd mee, and I am re-begot
Of absence, darknesse, death; things which are not.
All others, from all things, draw all that's good,
Life, soule, forme, spirit, whence they beeing have;
I, by loves limbecke, am the grave
Of all, that's nothing. Oft a flood
Have wee two wept, and so
Drownd the whole world, us two; oft did we grow
To be two Chaosses, when we did show
Care to ought else; and often absences
Withdrew our soules, and made us carcasses.
But I am by her death, (which word wrongs her)
Of the first nothing, the Elixer grown;
Were I a man, that I were one,
I needs must know; I should preferre,
If I were any beast,
Some ends, some means; Yea plants, yea stones detest,
And love; All, all some properties invest;
If I an ordinary nothing were,
As shadow, a light, and body must be here.
But I am None; nor will my Sunne renew.
You lovers, for whose sake, the lesser Sunne
At this time to the Goat is runne
To fetch new lust, and give it you,
Enjoy your summer all;
Since shee enjoyes her long nights festivall,
Let mee prepare towards her, and let mee call
This houre her Vigill, and her Eve, since this
Both the yeares, and the dayes deep midnight is.
By John Donne (1572-1631)
post by hansel @ WG
berikutnya http://renunganpagi.blogspot.com/2003/12/christmas-anthology-4-dari-9.html