Chasing Our Tales -- Santa's Progeny

Chasing Our Tales, Santa's Progeny

 

"Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus."

Haven't we just heard that all our lives! And the letter is a beautiful one published on the editorial page of the New York Sun in 1897. But, I believe, that whole message must have missed Stephenville, Texas, or they forgot it by the 1940's! Or, at the very least, it missed my family 'cause during the War. . .now all of you reading this know I mean World War II. . .I was listening to the radio (what a three year old was doing listening to the radio I do not know!) when some pop child specialist announced that it was wrong, even unhealthy, to tell a child that Santa existed!

I cried and ran to my mother, who, being a modern woman of the day, agreed with the radio commentator! I was lost! My daddy was in Europe! What was to happen? 'Course I guess maybe that message in the Sun was only for Virigina. At any rate this, I believe, set me for life. . .I celebrate Santa. . .I read stories about Santa. . .I collect Santa memorabilia. . .and I believe!

Now, what, you ask, has this to do with genealogy?

Several years ago I wrote a thematic unit for the classroom on the genealogy of Santa, for, you know, our 21st Century Santa Claus has a genealogy, a written history, a story which begins, of course, in the beginning!

And, of course, Santa Claus could not have had his beginning without Christmas. For as Santa Claus embodies the love and life of the Christmas season, we must say that Jesus Christ, who is that Love and Life, is Santa's first ancestor. For without Christ's birth, there would be no Santa Claus, there would be no Christmas, there would be no world as we know it today.

And after Christ, came a man named Nicholas. Nicholas was born in the year 271 in Myra in Asia Minor which is now Turkey. He was extremely wealthy, and it gave him great joy to share his wealth with others, especially poor children.

The story goes that Nicholas became aware that a family in his village which had three daughters who were of marriageable age but who had no dowry. So one winter's evening Nicholas secretly put sacks of gold in the girls' house so that each would be eligible for "good" marriages.

Nicholas is reputed to have been able to calm the raging seas, rescue desperate sailors, help the poor, and soon he was named the patron saint of sailors, and when Myra was overthrown, his bones were transported by sailors to Bari, a port in Italy, where a tomb was built over the grave. He was a good man who helped the poor, loved little children, and is reported to have worked many miracles.

Nicholas of Turkey was a bishop of the Orthodox Church and as such wore the red robe which reflects a bishop's high office.

And we do know that our first Nicholas in Turkey died on December 6 of 342 or 343 AD. Because of the miracles and good deeds which Nicholas is did, the Church has honored him with a feast day on December 6.

In many parts of the world St. Nicholas Day is celebrated. Children lay out their shoes on the Eve of St. Nicholas, Dec. 5, and on Dec. 6 they find that the good saint has filled the shoes with clothing, small candy treats, and money for good German children. For bad children, switches and coals can be expected.

I know this to be true because in my German-American family St. Nicholas always fills the children's shoes as he did in Germany when my grandfather was a child.

Isn't family tradition wonderful?

Now back to genealogy. Nicholas of Turkey begat Nicholas of Russia who begat Nicholas of Germany. Of course, as we know from our genealogical studies, many ancestors have the same name, making it hard to differentiate which person we are talking about.

Also, genealogically speaking, sometimes the family changed the name when it moved to another country. That happened with Nicholas' descendants.

In Finland, Nicholas' descendant is know as Joulupukki or De Kerstman which translates to Old Man Christmas. He lives on Lapland's Korvatunturi or "Ear Fell" from which he visits Finland each December 24. The Swedish speaking Finns call him Julgubben. In Norway he has the name of Julenissen. And in Denmark his name is Julemanden.

In Russian history it appears that the 11th-century Prince Vladimir traveled to Constantinople to be baptized, and returned with stories of miracles performed by St. Nicholas of Myra. Since then many Eastern Orthodox Churches have been named for the saint, and to this day, Nicholas is one of the most common names for Russian boys. The feast of St. Nicholas (December 6) was observed for many centuries, but after the communist revolution, the celebration of the feast was suppressed. During the communist years St. Nicholas was transformed into Grandfather Frost or Baboushka or Ded Moroz and wears blue rather than the red of the bishop's cloak.

In France Nicholas' progeny became known as Père Noël (Father Christmas) is an old gentleman with a white beard and a red, fur-trimmed cloak. He travels around France with his stern companion Pere Fouettard (Father Spanker)who reminds him if a child has been good or bad. If the child has been bad he is rewarded with a spanking. They make their journey on both December 6 and on Christmas Eve.

In England Nicholas's off-spring is called Father Christmas. He traveled with St. Augustine to England around 596 AD. He wears a red or green robe and leaves gifts in stockings on Christmas Eve but the gifts are not usually opened until mid-afternoon on Christmas Day. In Ireland Father Christmas might leave the gifts in a pillow case.

In many European countries the deliverer of Christmas gifts to children is Christkindl (Christ Child) which has been Anglicized to Kris Kringle and then to Santa Claus.

One of Nicholas' descendants immigrated to China and is called Dun Che Lao Ren or Shengdan Laoren. Another of Nicholas' line, Papa Noel, moved to Brazil, while in Japan he is known as Santa Kurohsu and Ziemmassve'tku veci'tis in Latvia.

In the Netherlands, Nicholas' descendant is called Sinterklaas who arrived in Holland on a steam boat accompanied by his helper, Zwarte Piet or Black Pete. Each December 6 Sinterklaas and Black Pete walk about the countryside. Sinterklass, sporting a long white beard, wears his red mantle, his bishop's mitre, and carries his golden crosier. Referring to his book that lists all the good and bad children, Sinterklaas will deliver presents to all the good children, but watch out if you've been bad!

The gift delivery comes about in this way. Sinderklass knocks loudly on the front door with his crosier. Before the door can be answered, candy is thrown from the upstairs, and when the door is opened a bag bearing gifts is found on the steps.

And finally Santa Claus, or St. Nick, immigrated to America in the 17th century with the Dutch. In 1773 Washington Irving wrote the first American account of the Dutch Sinder Klass or St. A. Claus. In his History of New York, published in 1809 under the pseudonym Diedrich Knickerbocker, Irving described the arrival of the saint on horseback (unaccompanied by Black Peter) each Eve of Saint Nicholas.

In Clement Clarke Moore's 1823 poem A Visit from Saint Nicholas, more popularly known now as The Night Before Christmas, St. Nicholas with his elfin appearance, red suit, and jolly appearance, is accompanied by reindeer became the ultimate descendant of St. Nicholas. But please not the German influence of the reindeer's names--Donder (for Thunder) and Blitzen (for Lightening).

In 1939 Montgomery Ward was using Santa Claus to advertise Christmas products, and by 1931 his image was advertising Coca-Cola!

So, now you have it. . .some of Santa's genealogy which is a recorded record of he lineage! Toe play the odds, perhaps all you Palo Pinto County enthusiasts might seriously consider putting those shoes out on December 6! My grandchildren do, and I can tell you they have never been disappointed.

So, until next time when we will take a pictorial tour and history of the Indian Creek Cemetery west of Mineral Wells and also address the relationship of our town founder, Judge Lynch's, family to Pittsylvania County Virginia, John Abston, and the Williams family. If you have definite proof that there is a connection, please let me kno. I hope you will write me! Email at <[email protected]> or Sue Seibert, P. O. Box 61, Mineral Wells TX 76068-0061. See you then!

 

©2001 Sue Seibert, Oak Cottage TX Genealogy, Chasing Our Tales