Santa vs father Christmas

[Blinkingheckythump]

I know it's totally unimportant and hence iabu but it really irks me that everything seems to be santa these days and not father Christmas. It was always father Christmas when I was growing up. I miss it! Why has it changed over time? I say father Christmas to the kids but they hear santa everywhere else so usually say santa themselves. Am I being unreasonable in wishing it was still father Christmas?!

Incase it needs clarifying, this is very lighthearted. I'm aware it's not really an issue

It’s just a signifier of class in England. MC or UMC say Father Christmas, WC or LMC say Santa.

@MaskingForIt

It’s just a signifier of class in England. MC or UMC say Father Christmas, WC or LMC say Santa.

Bollocks. I am working class and I say Father Christmas.

As a pp said, this is just a pathetic attempt at bashing the working classes.

Depends where you're from.
Santa isn't British.
Father Christmas is.
Santa , derived from Saint is European catholic.

I have been known to use them both interchangeably. I've nothing against either, though I generally lean towards Santa.

@EdinaMonsoon

I can’t stand Santa. It’s an ugly sounding word & I have an irrational hatred of it, along with the word “Xmas”. Maybe because it seems lazy? Or akin to some marketing crap made up by people who consider themselves too cool for tradition? 🤔😆Father Christmas on the other hand is perfect. It sounds wholesome.

The X in Xmas stands for Christ. It comes from the Greek word for Christ. The New Testament was written in Greek.

So it’s not actually a lazy abbreviation.

Santa is British. Last I checked Scotland, NI, and NE England were part of Britain.

We have always used both

I’ve always said Father Christmas. 4yo DD keeps saying Santa because that’s what she hears at nursery. I’m correcting her several times a day at the moment! DH rolls his eyes and I know it’s silly really, but as I said to DD this morning, we’re a Father Christmas household and always will be :D

Father Christmas because I’m 51 from Yorkshire and we all called him that. Santa started making headway in our area in the 1980s. I think American ads and films contributed to the shift.
Father Christmas sounds more mellow to me, Santa and Claus didn’t mean anything to me as I didn’t know Santa was Saint and Claus was short for Nicholas and I didn’t know how St Nicholas fitted in anyway. We also pronounce Claus like “claws” which didn’t sound nice compared to Father Christmas.
Obviously I’m used to it now but still use FC myself.

@Blinkingheckythump

I know it's totally unimportant and hence iabu but it really irks me that everything seems to be santa these days and not father Christmas. It was always father Christmas when I was growing up. I miss it! Why has it changed over time? I say father Christmas to the kids but they hear santa everywhere else so usually say santa themselves. Am I being unreasonable in wishing it was still father Christmas?!

Incase it needs clarifying, this is very lighthearted. I'm aware it's not really an issue

I could have written your post- in fact it should be my response to the thread asking "what gives you rage?"

I always believed Santa Claus was an Americanism whereas Father Christmas was the British name for St Nick.

33 and Birmingham born, it was always Father Christmas at home.

@DroopyClematis

Depends where you're from. Santa isn't British. Father Christmas is. Santa , derived from Saint is European catholic.

I agree, I also think this is why it stuck in the US, because of Catholic emigrees from Spain.

Santa all my life. My parents say Santa and so did my grandparents. Even my great grandma said Santa!

I'm Irish and it's Santa ( or often Santy) however it's funny because we use Daidi na Nollag in Irish which translates as Father (daddy) Christmas.

Santa to me is the marketing Coca Cola version

It's an anglicised / abbreviated version of Saint Nicholas.

You are all bu, it's Santy

It’s just a signifier of class in England. MC or UMC say Father Christmas, WC or LMC say Santa.

Over time it has become interchangeable for me but I guess Father Christmas was more usual when I was younger. But then, I do like to think of myself as being upper class. 😉

Father Christmas makes me cringe. Santa Claus, always.

I find 'santa' mildly offensive, considering it is a slur for st.nicolas

I'm also Scottish. Never actually occurred to me about the Scotland = Santa thing, but indeed, I've never heard anyone say Father Christmas here. In fact, all that comes to mind when I hear it is Greg Lake.

You are all bu, it's Santy

Just today a workman digging up the end of our street asked DD on her way home from school "is Santy coming to see you next week, pet?"

@iklboodolphrednosedpaindear

Santa to me is the marketing Coca Cola version

It's an anglicised / abbreviated version of Saint Nicholas.

It’s an Americanised version of the Dutch “Sinter Klaas”, which, yes, does mean St Nicholas. It has been in use for a long time in parts of the UK and Ireland, but it didn’t originate here.

@MaskingForIt

It’s just a signifier of class in England. MC or UMC say Father Christmas, WC or LMC say Santa.

Is it shite.

Father Christmas here, and I'm working class.

I’m in my 50s and live in Scotland and it’s always been Santa.

It's regional and I think you're being a bit snotty. NI and it's always been Santa Claus for us.