Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

When did Santa over take Father Christmas?

137 replies

ChesterGreySideboard · 18/12/2018 23:21

No judgement on using either but when I was little (70s) Father Christmas was the most common name and Santa was not often heard.
Now it seems to be the other way round.
I’ve heard this at the school I work in and most people on MN seem to use Santa.
Even Santa Claus seems to have gone out of fashion.

OP posts:
EdtheBear · 19/12/2018 00:09

I thought Santa Claus was more origional coming from a variant of Saint Nicolas.

Not sure where the Father Christmas name comes from.

MunchMunch · 19/12/2018 00:11

I'm 40 and it's always been Santa/santy/Santa Claus.

My dm (59) and nana (84) have always said Santa/santy.

We're in north east England.

willowstar · 19/12/2018 00:14

Mid 40s, always been Santa here... Scottish heritage. My husband from the south of England says father Christmas.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Christmas Events & celebrations
BroomstickOfLove · 19/12/2018 00:15

In my forties. Santa Claus in my Irish childhood. Father Christmas for English DP.

DyingMachine · 19/12/2018 00:15

Father Christmas all the way.

My 4 yr old has started saying Santa this yr - I'd rather it was FC but whatever!

jacqattacq · 19/12/2018 00:17

Early 40s, grew up in the south. It was always always Father Christmas. Santa has crept in over the last 15-20 years and really grates on me.

llangennith · 19/12/2018 00:18

Father Christmas in South Wales.

GlitterPixie · 19/12/2018 00:21

I’ve never heard anyone say Father Christmas in real life Xmas Confused but I’m in Ireland and it’s Santy here or less commonly Santa

brizzledrizzle · 19/12/2018 00:23

I'm late 50s and it was Santa Claus when I was growing up.

BettyBooJustDoinTheDoo · 19/12/2018 00:23

Definitely a Father Christmas household here, but I agree it’s Santa everywhere now, I always thought it was an American import but apparently not according to mumsnet but it just sounds really Disney to my ears, Santa Claus is ok but it’s Father Christmas all the way for me.

BadgerWithSprouts · 19/12/2018 00:23

Father Christmas for me growing up but DS stubbornly persists in using Santa despite all the present labels being signed “Father Christmas” by the elves. We are Midlands

explodingkitten · 19/12/2018 00:36

Well since he was modelled on Saint Nicolas of Mira who lived somewhere around 500 AD I'd say that Father Christmas is the more modern term.

MrsMartinRohde · 19/12/2018 00:41

Always Santa at home - brought up in northeast of England, parents and all extended family are Scots.

XDH - a southerner - says Father Christmas, and it's my seasonal battle to convince DC that it's actually Santa. Suspect school says FC. Bah humbug.

Flambola · 19/12/2018 00:46

Isn't Santa from Sinterklaas, the Dutch figure based on St Nick?

Witchend · 19/12/2018 00:49

From the North, always Father Christmas growing up in the 80s/90s.

YourEggnogIsBetterThanMine · 19/12/2018 00:50

It was Santa in Scotland in the 80s. Father Christmas sounds a bit posh.

MsPavlichenko · 19/12/2018 00:58

If my folks were here they'd be late 70s. My GPs born in 1910s. All Scottish/ Irish. Santa here. My DM moved from England back to Scotland in 1950s, and remembered that FC was called Santa here.

foreverblessedbee · 19/12/2018 01:00

I'm 43 in the east mids. It was always Santa to me and my sister growing up in late 70s early 80s. I do remember 1 posh friend who always got a present from "father Christmas and the other posh friend ALWAYS using father Christmas and did do for her daughter's. Her mum was American btw so it sort of peas on b9th sets of chips really. Middle class English and American HmmWink it's always been Santa and it will stay Santa here. Interesting hearing people's views.

Ceara · 19/12/2018 01:02

1870, apparently
www.spectator.co.uk/2016/12/how-santa-claus-ate-father-christmas/

ohwellinthatcasetryprunes · 19/12/2018 01:22

Always been FC here (N London / home counties) I can cope with Santa Claus, but not just Santa - too much of an Americanism for me.

Emison · 19/12/2018 01:35

Growing up in Northern Ireland it was Santa/Santy/ Santa Claus or Daddy Christmas [santa]

NaughtToThreeSadOnions · 19/12/2018 01:55

OP, i was thinking this a few years back, when i was a kid it was father christmas, but i find myself referimg to santa or santy these days. But then my neices nephews and god children are growong up in ireland so father christmas doesnt sound right either. Athough my god daughters dad does have a habit of translating the irish in to english so yes daddy christmas has been used raggedy

Op you might have a point about father chrustmas being posuably being the less catholic version santa comes from saint. Maybe its to do with wanting to use anglican terms.

To be fair Op i can tell this wasn't your intention but it always seems to happen on these threads where people think that the term/tradition that they've grown up with in england is being replaced by something else or a new tradtion is creaping in when i was growing up it was this english term or never heard of this tradition in england. The early posts of yeah its an americanism (aparently inheritly bad) followed by people from Scotland/ireland/wales/north saying well actally no, its actally the term we've always used. Followed by more totally ignoring the posts of no its a perfectly traditional term and calling it an americanisation thread.

Has it prehaps not occured to people that the reason that americans celebrate halloween/say mom/call him santa is because when people conolised the americas they well took the language and tradtitions with them. And this vas carried on and been reenforced by the flow of emegration.

Lovestonap · 19/12/2018 02:05

Late thirties, grew up church of England in the South of England. My mum insisted on father Christmas rather than santa (think she thought it was an Americanism and she was/is pretty anti American) and I continue the tradition, he is Father Christmas in this house. But only because I can't bear to hear my kids say 'sanna' with an American accent (bloody YouTube videos - my daughter already says diaper and candy!). However I/we have always been in the minority I think. That's OK. Yuletide felicitations one and all :)

Rockbird · 19/12/2018 03:26

Late 40's southerner of Irish English mix here and it was always Father Christmas. My Irish mother never called him Santa.

Blacktoffeecat · 19/12/2018 03:29

Always called him Santa. I’m 41 and from West Yorkshire.