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?

@Silverstreaks, firstly you are wrong and rude. Secondly, could you imagine anyone saying 'urgh Father Christmas? I wouldn't use such a tacky Englishism invented to disengage from the Catholics'. Could you imagine what a twat someone would sound suggesting that?

@Pantalaimon88, and read what I said. I'm not accusing you specifically of being xenophobic but there are plenty of examples on this thread. I said you're patronising and rude. You still haven't answered me, why does it matter if English children say Santa over Father Christmas?

@Pantalaimon88 no it's not xenophobic to say something is American. It's xenophobic to say it's tacky or American terms are 'cheap'. Which people have in this thread. Which is why people are getting upset. Although clearly you're being deliberately obtuse. 

@MissConductUS did you send me a pm? It's not in my inbox but I got the email! (so no idea what it said.)

firstly you are wrong and rude. Secondly, could you imagine anyone saying 'urgh Father Christmas? I wouldn't use such a tacky Englishism invented to disengage from the Catholics'. Could you imagine what a twat someone would sound suggesting that?

Exactly.

Scot hating racist

Would you like a stick for that straw man? The point was that there have always been people in the UK and Ireland calling the December-present-giver Santa (with or without the Claus). When it did start appearing in the media - yes American, but had there been more representation of different UK regions/countries it wouldn't have been as big a deal. It was readily adopted because people were already familiar with the name in lots of areas, especially if they had family across the UK or from Ireland. US media does now make up the majority of what we consume, but that doesn't mean that everything that seems like a departure from one individual's vision of an English version of Christmas is as foreign as it gets made out to be. As I said before, it's not the Irish and Scottish who get het up about cultural differences being wrong/"American".

And what is that anyway? Using American as an insult as though the country isn't a product of all of our emigrants.

@Silverstreaks 'I'm originally from the North East, a working class family, have lived in many other countries and Father Christmas is the norm.
Santa is a cheap American import and only really comes out with the Coca Cola truck.'

I'm also from the NE, as per my PPs and Santy has always been the norm here and I was born in 1966. Santa is not a 'cheap American import' and has fuck all to do with the Coca Cola truck, which has only been a thing in the UK since the early 2000s.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with someone saying we call him Father Christmas, that is my cultural tradition, I like it and am sticking to it.

But insisting that other traditions don't exist, or belong solely to one country (when they don't) and being very rude about that one country are all just daft ways to behave.

I never used the word “tacky” so I’m not sure why these comments are being levelled at me. Aim them at the poster who made those comments.

I don’t care if you have an issue with what I’ve said, but I’m not being held responsible for what some other cunt has said.

And all I have said is that I’m SOME parts of the uk where FC was traditionally used up until fairly recently, I do believe that it’s due to an increase of American media in our homes.

I’m not apologising for that and to be quite honest I have no idea why I’m getting such a kicking for it. It’s fucking ridiculous.

I know this thread is winding some people up but I'm enjoying it.

I've learnt something here. I'm from Liverpool and always said Father Christmas and I thought Santa was the new name.

I had no idea it's always been Santa in Scotland and Ireland. Living in an area with so many Irish people I feel I should have been aware of this

What is he called in Northern Ireland ?

Sion Corn

What is he called in Northern Ireland

Santa

English people are great, I married one.
But Scottish, Welsh, Irish and American people are also great.

We only said Father Christmas growing up in the 1950’s. When my mum heard Santa for the first time we were forbidden from saying it as it was “ common”
We were working class, but anything my mother didn’t like or approve of was “ common”

Living in an area with so many Irish people I feel I should have been aware of this

Was just going to say, Liverpool has a very strong Irish connection, you should be ashamed of yourself :p

@Pantalaimon88

You said this It’s not xenophobic to point out that American culture heavily influences our own due to the massive amount of American tv, film and music that we consume.

I (and others) have said several times now that nobody is calling that xenophobic.

Go back under your bridge.

I can't believe that people are actually arguing about Santa. This is hilarious. MN all over

Also, the "Santa is American" people should be downright embarrassed of the ignorance they are showing about the culture of other parts of their own country.

Nicely put.

I’ve never said Scottish people weren’t great. I have Scottish family.

But you’d think I personally killed William Wallace, with the abuse I’m getting.

@dreichXmas 'There is absolutely nothing wrong with someone saying we call him Father Christmas, that is my cultural tradition, I like it and am sticking to it.

But insisting that other traditions don't exist, or belong solely to one country (when they don't) and being very rude about that one country are all just daft ways to behave.'

Here here! Well said.

@gingergittable YOU aimed a comment at me implying I had said saying Santa was “tacky” when I didn’t. Nor am I responsible in any way for others saying this.

Shove your biscuit up your mardy arse

Can't we just agree that some people have always called the jolly fat man in red 'Santa' and some people have always called him 'Father Christmas', in both cases for generations and neither is wrong or right, wherever in the UK we live?

I didn't imply that at all. But you know that.

It was always Father Christmas in our house too and we're certainly not posh! Santa to me is very American...

"Also, the "Santa is American" people should be downright embarrassed of the ignorance they are showing about the culture of other parts of their own country."

THIS. People on MN seem to think they're experts on all things "American" (and why they're awful) but know fuck all about other cultures on their doorstep, and don't seem to want to listen when they're corrected... over and over and over. But anything to stick the boot into those dreadful Americans eh?

@Pantalaimon88, you were rude whether you agree or not. You said Santa is an Americanism, which is always used as a negative when used on MN. You still haven't said why it's so awful that English children say Santa over Father Christmas, even after acknowledging that it isnt primarily an American thing.