So, Christmas is a tradition filled with iconic images, not the least of which is the jolly fat man in the red suit. Sure, Santa Claus is supposed to be the modern incarnation of Saint Nicholas, a third or fourth century Greek Christian Bishop who gave coins to the poor, but look at him now! The fur trimmed clothing, the beard, the affinity for mistletoe… these are clearly the trappings of a druid. Druidic rituals were important at all times of the year, but early Celtic peoples looked to druids for solace and comfort most in the middle of a gloomy winter.
Santa is a figure of fantasy. Indeed, he has appeared in at least one major fantasy novel. People often forget that Father Christmas does make an appearance in C. S. Lewis’s novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The gifts that he gives the Pevensie children; swords, daggers, shields, and bows and arrows, would likely not be parent approved today (Although I do wonder how many children will get, or at least expect to get a Katniss-type bow and arrow set this Christmas).
Narnia’s Father Christmas is different from the jolly, cuddly Santa Claus we are used to today. While it is true that our modern image of Santa Claus comes from his description in Clement Clarke Moore’s classic poem A Visit from St. Nicholas, the Santa that usually comes to our minds today comes to us via the Coca Cola Company and an artist named Haddon Sundblom.
Read the rest:
https://amazingstories.com/2014/12/science-fiction-christmas/
