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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think that only posh people say Father Christmas?!

999 replies

charliesp · 05/12/2019 12:20

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?

OP posts:
perpetuallybewildered · 05/12/2019 13:49

I’m very old and throughout my childhood in Scotland I’m fairly sure I never came across the term Father Christmas. Santa Claus brought gifts at Christmas but by the time my own children were of an age to take notice the Claus seemed to have been dropped for the most part.

halcyondays · 05/12/2019 13:49

Everyone from NI and Scotland says Santa, never Father Christmas. What do Welsh people say?

Didthatreallyhappen2 · 05/12/2019 13:50

Not posh here either - Father Christmas all the way. Always assumed "Santa" was American. We never say Santa.

Otherpeoplesteens · 05/12/2019 13:50

In my mother tongue, not English, it translates as Father Christmas but in English we use Santa. Very middle class here.

chipsychopsy · 05/12/2019 13:51

Yeah FC is very much an English thing.

MissDew · 05/12/2019 13:51

Seriously, Santa is an everywhere but England thing. Can anyone think of another English speaking country or region where it's the norm?

They say Father Christmas in New Zealand as has already been mentioned. Stop pigeonholing people according to what they say.

YouJustDoYou · 05/12/2019 13:51

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

implantsandaDyson · 05/12/2019 13:52

In NI - my parents, my grandparents, me, my kids Wink, school etc always said Santa. Father Christmas belonged in the realms of Enid Blyton and Blue Peter.

Disfordarkchocolate · 05/12/2019 13:52

Santa Claus or Father Christmas here and definitely working class here.

SquareAsABlock · 05/12/2019 13:54

What do Welsh people say?

As I mentioned up thread, in Welsh it's Sion Corn (basically man who comes down the chimney). There's also Tad Nadolig which is literally Father Christmas, or Santa if not using the Welsh versions.

Quineothebroch · 05/12/2019 13:56

I read in a 1930s novel that Santa Klaus was a German concept - Sinter 'Klaus (from Nicklaus - St Nicolas) which ties in with the Dutch origin mentionmed earlier and that Father Christmas came from the French Pere Noel. On course in 1914 the concept of a benevolent German Klaus was unthinkable the Klaus became Claus.

Interestingly enough the concept of wishing a Merry Christmas upset puritanical thought so the idea of Happy Christmas was pushed. Merry implied jollification with alcohol, indulgence and heathen immorality - to which I say trebles all round!

AryaStarkWolf · 05/12/2019 13:56

Santa is American, Father Christmas is English.

Not just American

ASundayWellSpent · 05/12/2019 13:56

I know Santa is from Santa Claus so there is some background to the word but to be it has an American, commercial connotation. Much prefer Father Christmas... seems more magical and innocent

derxa · 05/12/2019 13:56

People have said 'Was Santa good to you?' here in Scotland throughout my living memory. I'm 60

RevengeOfTheRoundRobin · 05/12/2019 13:57

Isn't it a Catholic vs Protestant thing? The traditionally catholic regions it would be Santa /Saint Nick. In the Protestant wanting to get rid of celebrating saints etc it evolved into Father Christmas because no one would have stayed Protestant if they'd had to give up receiving presents.

chipsychopsy · 05/12/2019 13:57

This thread is doing more for the dissolution of the union than bloody Brexit.

PastaSauceHoarder · 05/12/2019 13:57

I grew up saying Father Christmas and we were not posh!
My two and a half year old says Father Christmas now too and a couple of people have commented on how cute it sounds.

Celebelly · 05/12/2019 13:58

I am 34 and Scottish and it has been Santa ever since I can recall. He was always Santa as a child Smile

geojojo · 05/12/2019 13:58

I say Father Christmas. Definitely not posh. Santa sounds really American to me.

burritofan · 05/12/2019 13:58

Father Christmas. But, unhelpfully, I am posh. Santa is dreadful, sorry.

rosesandcashmere · 05/12/2019 13:58

I'm posh. SO POSH... and I say Father Christmas and hate Santa.

LaurieMarlow · 05/12/2019 13:59

This thread is doing more for the dissolution of the union than bloody Brexit.

Grin
derxa · 05/12/2019 13:59

This thread is doing more for the dissolution of the union than bloody Brexit. Grin

AryaStarkWolf · 05/12/2019 14:00

I know Santa is from Santa Claus so there is some background to the word but to be it has an American, commercial connotation.

Only if you're British though, Santa/Santa Claus/Santy has always been said in Ireland even before the big American commercialisation

OkPedro · 05/12/2019 14:00

I feckn hate this place sometimes. RTFT for the love of Santa Claus please!

Irish and Scottish people use Santa/Santy/Santa Claus. We didn’t adopt it from America. They took it from us Grin
If you said Father Christmas in Dublin you’d get a funny look.

Same as Halloween, it’s always been a big deal in Ireland. We didn’t adopt this from America either!

Most of us say Haitch and not aitch too Wink

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