Christmas Gift Bringers
Following yonder star the Three Magi travel towards their Epiphany
FOR AT LEAST TWO MILLENNIA, THE END OF THE YEAR HAS BEEN A TIME TO GIVE GIFTS. HOW HAS THIS CHANGED, AND WHO BRINGS THE GIFTS?
T
he Romans were especially fond of gift-giving at New Year. There were several festivals around this time, such as Saturnalia and Sol Invictus (the festival of the Unconquered Sun – a Mithraic celebration of the solstice), which were celebrated with feasting and a general relaxation of social strata (this still carries over today in the tradition of the upper ranks serving the lower at Christmas meals in the British Armed Services). The season was especially appreciated by Emperors, who expected to receive gifts from their subordinates. At first this was a token – a branch of a tree from the Sacred Grove, for example - but soon it became far more lavish, with careful records being kept of who had given which costly gift. Other cultures also gave gifts at this time. The Northern races, especially, beset by short daylight hours and cold nights, needed to cheer themselves and their children up. The parents, though, for whatever reason, made it clear that the gifts were from Odin, not themselves, as a reward for the children’s good behaviour. Often a sort of “punisher” would accompany the gift-giver, to dole out spankings or unpleasant gifts (rotten fruit or stale sweets) to naughty children. When Christianity took over the New Year as the time to celebrate the birth of the Saviour, gift-giving was a good thing to incorporate. “Do not change their rituals, but make them new”, advised St Gregory
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and other missionary leaders, so this was done. Out went Odin, but then a new giftbringer was needed. The obvious candidate was the Christchild. This was an early belief, and still holds good in parts of Germany and central Europe. The Liebes Christkind, or beloved Christ-child still brings gifts here, and when German families went to America, they took him with them. In the course of time the German name was misunderstood and forgotten, and transformed into Kriss Kringle, which is a name now often (wrongly) given to Santa Claus.
name for him, Sinteklaas, was transmuted into Santa Claus. From America a sanitised, new-made Santa Claus with a strong commercial instinct was reexported to Europe (and elsewhere) with a red robe, sleigh and reindeer. In Europe, strange things had happened to St Nicholas. In many countries, he had been teamed up with an “Anti-Santa” who, harking back to the Norse tradition, doled out un-festive punishment to naughty children. Even France linked Père Noël with Père Fouettard, or Father Flog, who laid about miscreants with a whip. Many countries had similar “helpers”, many of positively terrifying aspect!
Santa Claus himself also appeared fairly early on. Saint Nicholas was a bishop of In some countries, children got a second Myra (now Demre in Anatolia) in the 4th bite of the cherry. The feast of St Nicholas Century. Little is falls on 6th December, known about him. He Even France linked Père Noël and sometimes the attended the Great good saint would with Père Fouettard, or Council in Nicea (after hand out a helping of which the Nicene Father Flog, who laid about gifts on this day, as Creed, used at Holy well as Christmas Eve! miscreants with a whip Communion, is In England, the named), and is Reformation swept away saints. They were celebrated for boxing the ears of another not compatible with the new theology. delegate named Arius, with whom he Bye, bye, Saint Nicholas; but with what do disagreed. However, legend associated we replace him? Someone had the bright him closely with children, and with giftidea of promoting Father Christmas, or Sir giving, and he came on the scene only Christmas, or whatever was the name of about 50 years after Christianity was made the Personification of Christmas who had the official religion of Rome, so he was an been lurking in more rural traditions and obvious candidate. He became a prime mummers’ plays for centuries. This chap mover in the distribution of gifts, and when the Dutch settled in America, their was a red-faced, definitely pagan, club-
