To think that only posh people say Father Christmas?!

[charliesp]

And everyone else says Santa?

I say Santa but my posh DH and all his family and posh friends say Father Christmas.

Anyone else noticed this? Or AIBU?

@HeartsTrumpDiamonds Actually the Americans had 'Santa' before then, 1800' s. We have had Father Christmas since the 1600's in England.

Oh I’m not anti ‘American’ ffs ..I just always heard them say Santa in American films and it always used to be Father Christmas when I was growing up , it’s what my friends also used to call him .

And just to add poor paw and pour are not homophones here in Scotland either.

Well we're not American so we don't say "Santa".

FOR FUCKS SAKE IT'S NOT AMERICAN, READ THE FUCKING THREAD.

Apologies, I'm not sure what came over me there ...

I think Santa is Father Christmas's more commercially minded twin. The jolly chap in the department store grotto is always Santa Claus and the popular image was pretty much dreamt up by Coca Cola in the 1930s.

Father Christmas here, I do prefer it since always FC in my family. Gdcs say both, though last year he was 'Farmer Christmas' to Gdd then 3.

I once read that he was Santa Claus in England until WW1, when he was renamed FC because 'Claus' sounded too German. How true that it I don't know but sounds plausible.

As for the 'European style' a pp mentioned, AFAIK he's Father Christmas in France, too - Pere Noel. (Can't do the accent on iPad.).

One more thing .. I don’t like saying SANTA so there! .. also hate it when people say “Xmas”

This is like when we have to explain guising every year too. For the love of Santa Claus, people, if you don't know something then actually go look it up instead of spouting shite. Something not being used in England doesn't make it American

www.stnicholascenter.org/who-is-st-nicholas/origin-of-santa

Information is on the link.

Not sure why people are losing their shit over this.

Talking about what he is called in Ireland and Scotland but in Welsh he is Sion Corn which I believe translated as John Chimney.

Satan my mother calls him.

also hate it when people say “Xmas”

I was waiting for this one to turn up. Xmas is a perfectly valid form of Christmas, the X is representing Jesus.

@HowIsMovingBungalow interesting link, thank you!

I'm working class and say Father Christmas and most people I know say it too. It's always Santa when used in the media though. I find it a bit annoying.

Father Christmas here and we are definitely not posh. I always thought of santa as an American name.

DH was in the Royal Navy, volunteered for submarines and after a long period of training was awarded his dolphins by the boats captain (who is always known in the RN as Father) so when Commander Christmas (I kid you not) gave him a glass of rum with said dolphins at teh bottom (had to drain in once) he could say that he got his dolphins from Father Christmas.

And I'm so happy to add a touch of levity when so many are getting their panties in a bunch - And that is an Amercanism!

I think people are getting mixed up between 'what I say' and 'the correct thing to say'. In Scotland we don't generally care about the 'correct' thing. We say what we say and you can say what you say.

I say both!

My mum's family all say Father Christmas, so do I, and they are working class.

It's very regional. My merseyside inlaws who are as far from posh as you can be say "father christmas".

Say that to any child in Glasgow and they won't have a clue what you're on about. Santa in Scotland and always has been. The early American immigrants from Scotland/Ireland probably took Santa with them.

I prefer Father Christmas - but often use ‘Santa’ because most people here do & I feel like I sound like a ‘snobby southerner’ saying FC - despite living in the SE of England 🤷🏻‍♀️

I think they were used interchangeably when I was growing up. Parents from the north, I grew up in the south & overseas. Like most things traditional/cultural my language is a melting pot!!

I say Father Christmas because I'm English.

I honestly don't think I've met a single person who calls him Santa.

@SquareAsABlock I don’t care if it’s valid or not , it sounds awful and I’m sure I’ve been told in the past that some Christians don't like it and find it disrespectful.

I say Father Christmas because I think of Santa as being American or Scottish.