Why is everyone referring to "Santa"

[WinWinnieTheWay]

DH and I (from different UK countries and different social class) were both brought up with Father Christmas. Why are so many people calling FC "Santa" these days? Is it just the impact of American culture? Each to their own, but I don't like it.

It really makes me laugh when people so ignorant and limited geographically and culturally moan about "Americanisms"(with an air if superiority too).Because you know.. they've only it seen/heard it on American telly so it must American.

Always useful to do at least a bit of Googling before starting these type of threads.

Nice of you to say thanks to all the people who spent time explaining where they were from and what word they used @OP. You’re welcome.

Scottish: Santa Claus or Santa
Shetland: Santie

Father Christmas: never heard a person actually calling him that in real life.

@hadenoughnegativity

Think Father Christmas is an English thing mostly. The rest of the world know him as Santa Claus. The tradition of Santa Claus comes from St Nicolas. So I would say Santa Claus is the most correct name. But each to their own. Americans call football soccer. The Irish say mummy instead of mum. Not fair to criticise cultural differences.

We definitely don't say Mummy. You'd be laughed at!

It's Mammy for little kids and Mam for everyone else, or Mommy/Mom.

My dc call him Santa because I'm a Scot. Also because popular culture does with its US influence lean towards it.
Meaning the DH's English FC never got a strong foothold in our house.

Father Christmas here

It's always been Santa Claus for me and I grew up in the 70s in Yorkshire and my mum called him Santa Claus in the 1940s when she was small- so not an American thing. Santa Claus is not a recent import!

You wouldn't visit Father Christmas's Grotto- only Santa's Grotto sounds right. Likewise, Father Christmas's sleigh, Father Christmas Hat, A after Christmas sack, etc.

Always been santa to me and I'm 37!

With things as they are ErrolTheDragon, the Yule Gnome will likely be glad of the extra work and safer than the Yule Goat with their firey reputation .

Santa always here in Scotland.

@SupaTrooper

Where does the name Father Christmas come from?

Santa Claus is from Sinter Klaas and the story of St Nicholas.

Thank you not many people know that, I was trying to explain that to someone the other day

Another Scot here - it's Santa Claus for us.

Grew up in Australia. Also Santa.

father Christmas remind me of Victorian England (scrooge!)

Always been Santa - England.

I’m waiting for the annual “we have to say Happy Holidays not Merry Christmas” outraged article. Not seen it yet this year. It’s on my bingo card.

I was brought up with FC but my kids call him Santa because when my eldest was 3 she got confused between 'Christmas' and 'Father Christmas' so we just called him Santa from that point on.

@onlyconnect

I agree with OP that Santa is much more prevalent than it was a few years ago. Yes, Santa has always been around but most people in the UK called him Father Christmas whereas now most people call him Santa. No idea why though.

Don't you mean the majority in England. Not the Uk

I grew up with either Santa or Santy - in the south of Ireland over 40 years ago. He was never Father Christmas to anyone I knew.

I'm loving the Grandfather Frost from the map above.
Father Christmas here. I suspect that there was some snobbery about it when I was growing up. Ds is saying Santa a lot but I always say Father Christmas. North West England. School use Father Christmas too as do our church.

I've never read this debate on here before (fairly new to mumsnet I guess) but it's entertaining.

We never says "kids" in our family. It's always "children." Unless we are referring to baby goats of course. Again it's the same at school and church. I find language use and regional variations fascinating.

I’m waiting for the annual “we have to say Happy Holidays not Merry Christmas” outraged article. Not seen it yet this year. It’s on my bingo card
Or the "christmas is cancelled because instead of a Christmas fayre it's been a multicultural winterfest extravaganza"

We say Santy, Father Christmas is English & there's a whole world outside of England.

The French say Father Christmas and the French are never wrong.

I've never met anyone in 'real life' who has used the term Father Christmas. I've only ever heard it on TV and Mumsnet. It has always been Santa where I'm from (and I'm middle aged).

@Furrybootsyecomfy fou's yer doos quine?
Always Santa for us too, are there any songs which sing about 'Father Christmas?

Father Christmas generally used in Wales when I was growing up.

Definitely Father Christmas for us..
But a Dutchman referred to him as Sinterklaas
“ Sinterklaas will bring you a hash cake”

🙂