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Original poster

Why is everyone referring to "Santa"

795 replies

WinWinnieTheWay · 08/12/2020 20:30

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.

OP posts:
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5
VanityWitch · 09/12/2020 12:27

@VanityWitch

No *@Goldenbear*, because the difference is, I didn't bring up class. The op did and I contradicted.. hope that clarifies for you Xmas Smile.
In response to To highlight another poster's behaviour as being aspirational, ironically missing the point that their reference to knowing the upper classes makes them appear to be the very people they are deriding!. Meant to quote, sorry. Bloody phone!
VanityWitch · 09/12/2020 12:29

And anyway @Goldenbear, weren't you mocking me for being too proud of my non English, lower class heritage? So...which is it? Or are you just having a bad morning and didn't like the cut of my jib so thought you'd take your frustrations out on me? If so, then you picked the wrong lower class wanker my friend Xmas Grin.

MarieIVanArkleStinks · 09/12/2020 12:32

Me:

Thought some of these posts were wind-ups but nope, second blink and people really are becoming gratuitously offended over the moniker of a fictional Christmas delivery driver

A PP:

No, they aren't.

My mistake. I must have had a sense of humour fail!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Christmas Events & celebrations
Goldenbear · 09/12/2020 12:32

I am pointing out to you Vanitywitch that nobody uses the name Father Christmas to appear anything other than they are. It is like me saying, people use the name Santa to appear Irish. It is blatantly untrue and FC 'is' just used by some people regionally that is the only use it has no aspirational bollox

Goldenbear · 09/12/2020 12:37

When did I say about your 'non English' 'lower class' heritage. I did say anything about class again you seem to be making things up. I referred to my English upbringing to offer an explanation, you referred to your upbringing. I don't see the difference.

midnightstar66 · 09/12/2020 12:37

Thought some of these posts were wind-ups but nope, second blink and people really are becoming gratuitously offended over the moniker of a fictional Christmas delivery driver

It was all very light hearted then you get the odd person who becomes severely offended - or the ones that can't see past the end of their own noses and start making stupid claims and insults - which causes the arguments. What they call the big man in red isn't really the issue anymore 😆

VanityWitch · 09/12/2020 12:38

@Goldenbear

I am pointing out to you Vanitywitch that nobody uses the name Father Christmas to appear anything other than they are. It is like me saying, people use the name Santa to appear Irish. It is blatantly untrue and FC 'is' just used by some people regionally that is the only use it has no aspirational bollox
Well, I disagree. I think some people do use FC to appear to be of a naicer background than they really are. Not a hanging offense by any means, but sometimes quite funny to me. You don't have to agree. Humour is so subjective isn't it Xmas Smile?

Some people might use the word Santa to appear more Irish. My gran was English and bless her when she first moved to Ireland in the 40s, she tried out some of the Irish slang she had just learnt when talking to the headmaster of my dad's school. Accidentally said something offensive. She used to tell that story and we all laughed so much. Humour you see...subjective!

There now we can all be friends @Goldenbear and you can laugh at my ways! I am pretty laughable, vain, Irish, American, French speaker, strong accent. Come on, have a go if you're 'ard enough (I live near london now Xmas Grin...did I do it right)?

Goldenbear · 09/12/2020 12:38

I repeat, my children have an Irish surname, why would I mock it.

ginghamstarfish · 09/12/2020 12:39

Grew up with using Father Christmas. I guess it is the influence of American films etc that makes Santa more popular these days.

wellthatsunusual · 09/12/2020 12:40

@ginghamstarfish

Grew up with using Father Christmas. I guess it is the influence of American films etc that makes Santa more popular these days.
Confused
teateateateateamoretea · 09/12/2020 12:43

My mistake. I must have had a sense of humour fail!

No, you misunderstood why people were offended.

KatherineJaneway · 09/12/2020 12:45

@ExpensivelyDecorated

Interchangeable here, everyone knows they are the same person.
Agree
Deadringer · 09/12/2020 12:54

The first time i ever heard Father Christmas was years ago on Coronation street. Percy Sugden agreed to play Father Christmas but said he would have nothing to do with Santa Claus, as it was a German tradition, or words to that effect iirc. He was a grumpy old fucker, perhaps the op is too?

RaspberryCoulis · 09/12/2020 12:55

@ginghamstarfish

Grew up with using Father Christmas. I guess it is the influence of American films etc that makes Santa more popular these days.
Someone else who can't read - off you pop and read the thread, @ginghamstarfish then feel free to pop back and apologise to us Scots and Irish (and a bit of Northern England too) for your ignorance.
merrygoround51 · 09/12/2020 12:57

@Deadringer Percy sugden was indeed the grumpiest man alive

midnightstar66 · 09/12/2020 12:58

I repeat, my children have an Irish surname, why would I mock it.

Well you clearly won't as you don't seem to have much of a sense of humour - others as we've pointed out several times like to laugh and mock affectionately our customs and traits all the time. My DC have a surname of a different country (non British) and never were there so many people in a nation that live up to their stereotypes as the people of that country. There are loads of comedians in that county too, as there are here that make their living poking fun at some of it, especially some of the older customs which really are hilarious.

Goldenbear · 09/12/2020 13:06

Yes, because yours is radiating from the screen with your posts on this thread which after all are about a mythical elf like character.

TheMarzipanDildo · 09/12/2020 13:11

Every. Bleeding. Year.

Shayisgreat · 09/12/2020 13:28

I always just put it down to regional differences rather than anything to do with class. Nearly all of the English people I've met living in London/Kent have said Father Christmas and I work as a social worker so meet a wide variety of people through work. Some have used Santa Claus but it certainly isn't usual here.

In Ireland everyone I've ever met says Santa or Santy. If I started using Father Christmas people would laugh at me because they would think that I am changing myself to become more English.

It's a bit hysterical that people are wringing their hands over more people in England starting to use Santa. England is a hugely diverse place with influences from all over the world. Of course changes in language are going to happen but it doesn't look to me like FC is going anywhere!

GottenGottenGotten · 09/12/2020 13:30

Every. Bleeding. Year.

Yep.

Like Halloween and using the word gotten.

Apparently there are still people that want the way things are done in certain areas of England to be the standard throughout the UK, and can't get their heads round the fact that other places

a) do things differently
b) have always done things differently and
c) did not import these things from America.

No matter how often they are discussed.

Tierful · 09/12/2020 13:31

It’s not a good opinion to have of a whole swathe of the population but as a Scot I think anyone who says Father Christmas is a bit of a knob Grin

Dadaist · 09/12/2020 13:32

OK - the truth is they are actually derived from different figures.

Father Christmas is a nod to our pagan past - in which the ‘’Green Man” came in the winter festival - the symbolism of which (holly trees, Yule logs and the like) were adopted by Christianity to change the pagan seasonal ritual to a Christian one.
Santa Claus is Saint Nicolas (Santa being Latin for Saint) and is a vaguely historical figure - probably from Turkey in the 8th century?
Christians have always been uncomfortable with the pagan roots of festivals - so quickly adopted this saint to be the same as ‘Father Christmas’ around giving gifts to children.
So it’s nothing to do with class or being Scottish or Irish and everything to do with the influence of Christianity (v strong still in USA - where the green man was turned to red by Coca-Cola in the 1920s

ErrolTheDragon · 09/12/2020 13:34

I tend to assume that anyone starting an 'every bleeding year' thread (or month/week for some topics) is a relative newcomer who hasn't had the dubious pleasure of taking part in previous versions.

wellthatsunusual · 09/12/2020 13:36

That's quite a nice thought. All the newcomers get their introductory Santa Vs Father Christmas thread each year. Like an induction day in a new job. Smile

midnightstar66 · 09/12/2020 13:39

@ErrolTheDragon I'm far from a newcomer but this topic is a new one to me. Maybe because usually in the run up to Xmas I'm too busy to mumsnet but this years I've been stuck at home for nearly 2 weeks isolating 😆. I tend to just ignore threads with topics I've already taken part in though