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.

I AM irish and call my mother Mum. As do most of my friends/relatives. It's normal to me. I know it's more unusual than saying Mam, but it's not so unusual that I feel weird saying 'Mum'.

In fact I get annoyed when people try to tell me ''only the English say Mum''. Well, clearly not, put your ear to the ground. What they mean is I don't like the cut of your strides are you some sort of west brit what's this all about :-p

As someone from a N Ireland Protestant background, I've never heard of the Protestant/Catholic divide mentioned upthread on this topic. Every Presbyterian/Baptist/Methodist that I know still talks about Santa. Although in my experience, Free Presbyterians and Brethren take nothing to do with him at all, under any name, and are sometimes keen to point out that Santa is an anagram of Satan.

Funniest thing about all that is that almost anything in N Ireland can have a Protestant/Catholic divide in some people's eyes. (And I do mean anything. The clothes you wear, the plastic bag you carry your shopping in, the filling station that you buy your petrol from, the bank you use, your holiday destination etc) but here we are with Santa crossing the divide.

@80sMum

Father Christmas was the most used term when I was growing up in the 1960s. However, I was aware that he was sometimes called Santa Claus and St Nicholas, so those were definitely in use at the time. I wonder whether Santa Claus was perhaps introduced to the UK by the Americans during the war?

It's almost as if the 700 posts on this thread were invisible

@wellthatsunusual Clothes have a protestant/catholic divide Can you explain!

I'm Scottish and always been Santa Claus here. My little boy was asking why peppa pig calls him Father Christmas , I presume it's an English name for him?

[quote Rosehip10]@wellthatsunusual Clothes have a protestant/catholic divide Can you explain![/quote]
Perhaps not as noticeable in every day wear but when it comes to weddings and funerals, most people could guess just from the guest’s outfits whether it was a Protestant or catholic one. (In NI anyway)

My mother is 'Mum' too, WiseOwlWan. Formerly mummy. Same for the vast majority of my friends and neighbours growing up.
I have cousins who called their mother mummy all their lives. Also cousins whose mothers are mammy and mam..

[quote Rosehip10]@wellthatsunusual Clothes have a protestant/catholic divide Can you explain![/quote]
I’m from Central Scotland. We also have a lot of sectarianism (state education divided Catholic/Protestant, football of course, Orange Walks still happen etc etc). I vividly remember shopping with my Mum as a child and her saying she would not buy me a burgundy-coloured top as it was “a Catholic colour”. The local Catholic school’s uniform was that colour.

I am, personally, an atheist and abhor sectarianism. However, like the PP from NI, I too like that Santa spans the sectarian divide and am amused at the irony of all us Protestants defending the use of a saint’s name so strongly!

[quote Rosehip10]@wellthatsunusual Clothes have a protestant/catholic divide Can you explain![/quote]
It's so hard to explain to be honest. I think the previous poster's point about funerals is one example.

There are some clothes which are intended to mark people out and they'll obvious wear them with that in mind (certain football shirts for example) but there are some people who are adamant that they can't/won't wear a green or orange t shirt of any sort because only Catholics/Protestants wear those. Or that Catholics don't wear Reebok trainers. Or only Protestants wear Jack Wills. That sort of thing. I'm not for one second saying that everyone in N Ireland is wandering round looking at people's feet to see if they are wearing Protestant or Catholic shoes, they're not, it's not something that crosses the mind of 99% of people. But I have known people who are adamant that 'rules' like this exist.

@mrsswayze

I'm Scottish and always been Santa Claus here. My little boy was asking why peppa pig calls him Father Christmas , I presume it's an English name for him?

That’s a great illustration of how rare it is to hear “Father Christmas “ in Scotland, that a preschooler has never heard it outside Peppa Pig

The catholic protestant thing.

It’s wedding songs and oops up side your head vs rock the boat.

This is all become a bit Derry girls! “Protestants hate ABBA”

There are some clothes which are intended to mark people out and they'll obvious wear them with that in mind (certain football shirts for example) but there are some people who are adamant that they can't/won't wear a green or orange t shirt of any sort because only Catholics/Protestants wear those. Or that Catholics don't wear Reebok trainers. Or only Protestants wear Jack Wills. That sort of thing. I'm not for one second saying that everyone in N Ireland is wandering round looking at people's feet to see if they are wearing Protestant or Catholic shoes, they're not, it's not something that crosses the mind of 99% of people. But I have known people who are adamant that 'rules' like this exist.

This really is a thing although here in Scotland only a thing in certain areas/small pockets of people but can be picked up on by others eg some football fans even if they aren't religious ( family of non religious Celtic fans will never wear anything royal blue for example) . It's not something that affects what anyone else wears outside of these small pockets but something I was always aware of. Again Santa is used across all of these groups and areas though.

"I'm Scottish and always been Santa Claus here. My little boy was asking why peppa pig calls him Father Christmas , I presume it's an English name for him?"

Maybe it's an American import.

I'm lucky to live in an area of Scotland where sectarianism is unknown. I do know of a man who is such an avid Rangers fan that he won't have any green food on his plate

I think in Motherwell, Subway had to change the colour of their shops, because the usual green was too Celtic. V depressing. But despite such Neanderthal sectarianism, I don't buy the catholic/Protestant santa/FC divide. I was raised in a mixed Scottish family and it has always been Santa. If I thought about it, I sort of assumed Father Christmas was his 'Sunday' name, as I will have seen it in books & on TV.

@HeadNorth

I think in Motherwell, Subway had to change the colour of their shops, because the usual green was too Celtic. V depressing. But despite such Neanderthal sectarianism, I don't buy the catholic/Protestant santa/FC divide. I was raised in a mixed Scottish family and it has always been Santa. If I thought about it, I sort of assumed Father Christmas was his 'Sunday' name, as I will have seen it in books & on TV.

I believe it’s Larkhall that had the first non green subway sign. They also have fools smashing green traffic lights.

I always wondered how the phone company ‘orange’ would manage!

@ImWearingReallyJudgyPants

Father Christmas. I've always thought that calling him Santa was a bit like calling your Granny "Nan" or "Nanna".

What's wrong with any of that?

Once again, appropriate username.

Both FC and Santa Claus are correct, people use either or both names. It doesn't matter surely, he is not real.