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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
MojoJojo71 · 08/12/2020 21:13

I’ve never heard anyone in real life refer to ‘Father Christmas’

He’s always been Santy to me and my family (North East England)

GelisVanBorselen · 08/12/2020 21:14

It was 'Santa' up in Scotland in the 1940s.
I hate the little Englander mentality on here sometimes.

DoNotPost · 08/12/2020 21:14

@Chienloup

Because: Saint Nicholas (patron St of Children) - Sinterklaas- Santa Claus - Santa.
Yes, this is where the shortened 'Santa' comes from, not an Americanised concept at all, but a religious tradition around Christmas.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Christmas Events & celebrations
HitthatroadJack · 08/12/2020 21:14

because it's quicker to write.

I call him Father Christmas, but use Santa for short. Everybody seem to understand who I mean

EscapeTheCastle · 08/12/2020 21:14

I remember calling him Father Christmas and my mum who had a lot of upbringing in Scotland wrote "love from Santa" on some gifts one year. I can clearly recall thinking "who's this? Santa?... not sure who he is!"

pictish · 08/12/2020 21:15

So that’s established then OP. Everyone is referring to Santa because that’s what he’s called. It’s German for Saint Nicholas.
Hope this helped.

ThePug · 08/12/2020 21:15

Father Christmas here - I noticed the same when I was trying to buy a 'magic key' for him to let himself in as our new house doesn't have a chimney Wink but they ALL said Santa's magic key on them (finally got a personalised one on Etsy I could choose FC instead). My eldest is in reception and has mentioned Santa but I keep correcting him Grin

DazzlePaintedBattlePants · 08/12/2020 21:15

Aaah, it’s now officially Christmas as we’ve had the Santa/Father Christmas annual ding dong on MN Grin

NuniaBeeswax · 08/12/2020 21:15

Christmas ain't Christmas without this thread.

PattyPan · 08/12/2020 21:16

Father Christmas for me. Santa is American to me - I assumed it became used here because of American Christmas music.

Sennetti · 08/12/2020 21:16

why does it matter op??

i'm 53 and its always been Santa in my families as well as my ex husbands and current partners....whats 'class' got to do with it?

what an odd thread!

Bloodypunkrockers · 08/12/2020 21:17

Same old threads every year

OP. It's regional. Father Christmas I mean. It's the term used by some English people

Santa Claus is correct Grin

VanityWitch · 08/12/2020 21:17

@PattyPan

Father Christmas for me. Santa is American to me - I assumed it became used here because of American Christmas music.
And now you know differently Xmas Smile. Every day's a school day on MN isn't it?
DoNotPost · 08/12/2020 21:18

@PattyPan

Father Christmas for me. Santa is American to me - I assumed it became used here because of American Christmas music.
If it seems American, then that will be via Europe due to the Dutch/Germanic influences of settlers. St Nicholas (Santa Claus) brings children presents in early December in European countries (e.g. in their shoes etc). Hence why he is also the bringer of toys in Britain/UK (god help me, I don't know which is acceptable any more) at Christmas.
Friendshighschool · 08/12/2020 21:19

Always Santa here.

Your OP makes you sound like a knob to be honest.

DontStopThinkingAboutTomorrow · 08/12/2020 21:19

Was always Father Christmas to me, too, but Santa is fine.
If you really want to go back to the roots, call him Blessed St. Nicolas.
Only one I can't stand is Kris Kringle- don't even know why!

DoNotPost · 08/12/2020 21:20

@Bloodypunkrockers

Same old threads every year

OP. It's regional. Father Christmas I mean. It's the term used by some English people

Santa Claus is correct Grin

Other countries say Father Christmas too: in France it is Pere Noel - which means Father Christmas (plus a lot of inflections on the vowels, which I don't have time/keyboard for)
AfterSchoolWorry · 08/12/2020 21:20

Father Christmas sounds very pompous and puritanical to me. He puts some walnuts and a rubber ball into the stockings of children who go to bed at 7 on the dot.

Santa is a fat, fun and slightly pissed friendly rosy cheeked grandad who releases half the contents of Smyths toys and Curry's all over the floor of your front room.

Santa wins.

DoNotPost · 08/12/2020 21:21

@DontStopThinkingAboutTomorrow

Was always Father Christmas to me, too, but Santa is fine. If you really want to go back to the roots, call him Blessed St. Nicolas. Only one I can't stand is Kris Kringle- don't even know why!
Kris Kringle - assume it was from Christingle
BlackCat91 · 08/12/2020 21:22

I am from the North east and it has always been Santa or Santy.

DonaldTrumpsChopper · 08/12/2020 21:22

Father Christmas here. Everyone I know called him Father Christmas when I was a child, and pretty much everyone I know now calls him Father Christmas.

Frazzled2207 · 08/12/2020 21:22

Father Christmas for me but my family quite traditional. Everyone round here calls him Santa which grates tbh

PattyPan · 08/12/2020 21:23

@VanityWitch I also already knew about the Sinterklaas name corruption... which makes sense given Dutch colonial history in the US. So no, I haven’t learnt anything 🙄

pooopypants · 08/12/2020 21:23

I'm lazy. 2 syllables versus 4. Santa wins every time.

dinglethedragon · 08/12/2020 21:23

Northern working class here - born in the 50's, we always said Father Christmas - I always think of "Santa" as more American - remember watching the old US programmes as a child and they talked about Santa, and elevators and sidewalks......