SANTA ARGH!!

[User202022]

To me it’s always been FATHER CHRISTMAS!

Every book I seem to read to my children containing said jolly man with white beard calls him SANTA BLOOMING CLAWS! (I have to change it even if it means the book no longer rhymes).
i can cope with St Nicholas but just cannot abide by Santa! Argh!
Is this just me?

They are different characters that have now merged into one.

www.english-heritage.org.uk/christmas/the-history-of-father-christmas/

Santa = Saint
Claus = short for Nicholas
= Santa Claus AKA St Nicholas === practically universal where Christmas exists
Father Christmas = England only

It's Santa in this house 🎅

For people who call him Father Christmas, what do you cal the thing we do at work at Christmas where you draw a name out the hat. and anonymously buy a Christmas present for that person for £10?

Furtive father?

Am with you op but without the anger 😁. Guess it’s what your family used is “normal” to you for us it’s Father Christmas all the way!

If you''re in some parts of Aberdeenshire he would be called Sunty.

LOL at Secret Father Christmas - what a mouthful 😅

I can save you @User202022

Here is a blog with 25 FC books published in the UK: https://bookadventcalendaruk.wordpress.com/father-christmas-picture-books/

I saw either Father Christmas or St Nikolaus depending on context. I don't mind "Santa Claus" but absolutely cannot abide "Santa" (without the Claus) or even worse "Santy"!

I hate Father Christmas

Santa all the way

Scottish and Irish?

No, it comes from the Dutch Sinter Niklaas. Santa is first attested to from 1793 onwards, I believe.

However, Father Christmas is much older - since 1650s. Growing up in Northern Ireland, I heard both Father Christmas and Santa Claus.

In 2017, YouGov survey suggested more than half the UK population used Father Christmas more than Santa Claus.

yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2017/12/06/it-father-christmas-or-santa-claus

I can use either, but tend towards Santa more.

I’m 42 and it was Father Christmas in my family growing up. We were a poor working class family in Shropshire but my dad was from Manchester and also called him that. (Well actually he called him Farva NissNiss when we were little 😄)

I’ve used both Santa and FC interchangeably with my DC but slightly prefer FC.

The version of Santa Claus we see every year was, you could say, universalised by Coca-Cola. Before their advertising, Santa was depicted in many different ways and colours - green, tall & gaunt, elf, etc.

Coca-Cola obviously didn't create the legend itself.

www.coca-colacompany.com/au/faqs/did-coca-cola-create-santa-claus

Santa Claus where I am in Scotland. I really don't like Father Christmas.

@DownNative

In 2017, YouGov survey suggested more than half the UK population used Father Christmas more than Santa Claus

Of course they do as 83% of the UK population is English.

That does not negate the Scottish and Irish use of Santa.

There's usually at least 10 such threads on MN every year.

But it's far too early to have them outside the Christmas topic - not even had Remembrance Day yet

@Whenwherewhy , he’s Father Christmas in France, too - Pere Noel.

Yes, I realised that after I had posted but it doesn't really detract from my point about Saint Nicolas being pretty much universal in one form/spelling or another (where Christmas is celebrated of course).

Whatever makes you think Father Christmas has zero usage outside of England in the United Kingdom? 🤷‍♂️

You seem to have missed the YouGov poll also suggests that Santa and Father Christmas are used in England. It's not strictly Father Christmas, you know! 🤦‍♂️

And....Northern Irish? Notice you didn't mention us either. FYI, growing up in Northern Ireland I've heard both Santa and Father Christmas. 🧐

@DownNative

Whatever makes you think Father Christmas has zero usage outside of England in the United Kingdom

I don't and didn't say that.

You seem to have missed the YouGov poll also suggests that Santa and Father Christmas are used in England. It's not strictly Father Christmas, you know!

Yes I know

And....Northern Irish? Notice you didn't mention us either. FYI, growing up in Northern Ireland I've heard both Santa and Father Christmas

Splendid

Not this again

You're implying that Father Christmas isn't used outside of England as some kind of "gotcha!" point against the YouGov poll covering the whole of the UK.

Not just England.

Now, here's some examples from Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland showing Santa and Father Christmas being used alternately in the same piece!

Clearly, it's not restricted to England.

And in Irish Gaelic, he's called "Daidí na Nollaig" which is literally "Daddy Christmas" or "Father Christmas".

Just like Père Noël in France and Papá Noel in Spain.

As you were.....

@DownNative

Bless you but I haven't said any of these things.

How can anyone get so worked up about this? 😂