Is using "Father Christmas" vs "Santa" a class signifier?

[Flapjacker48]

Upper/upper middle - use "Father Christmas"

Working/lower middle - "Santa"

The "Santa" we use in the UK today is almost an original European export to American and has come back as a tackier and vulgar Santa.

You have spectacularly missed the point of what I said. But shout away if it makes you feel better about your xenophobia

@Theremoresefulday

You have spectacularly missed the point of what I said. But shout away if it makes you feel better about your xenophobia

No its you that's missing the point, in your fervour to find offense. It's clear what the agenda is here, so I am not engaging any further.

Why do you think santa is in common use now across the WHOLE OF THE UK and not just Scotland and Ireland ?

Probably because of the wealth gap, there are more working class now so they've all reverted to Santa 😱

Ireland isn’t in the uk

I'm in NI and I say santa. My parents and their generation would say daddy Christmas which I interestingly found out on here likely comes from the Irish daidí na nollag (father of christmas).

Not RTFT, but I'm common as muck and it's always been Father Christmas

I’m Scottish growing up never heard a single person call him Father Christmas

Ireland isn’t in the uk

NI is

Which is a different country to Ireland.

I've literally never heard of this signifier of class

We live in SE London and use Father Christmas interchangeably with Santa....maybe we're just confused and don't know where we fit in with society

Or maybe it's all meaningless?!

@Pigeoninthehouse

Nope. In the part of the uk I’m from it has always been Santa that has been and indeed still is in widespread use. Note the bit about 'wide spread use now meaning its not just confined to certain regions. Why do you think santa is in common use now across the WHOLE OF THE UK and not just Scotland and Ireland ?

Well, I'd imagine improved transport and communication have something to do with it. People don't stay in the community or even region they were born in anywhere near as often as they once did, and as they move elsewhere they take their linguistic differences with them.

I use both. ...what that mean

DS4 calls him Santa Christmas so not sure what class that makes us?

I think it's probably a generational or geographic thing tbh, rather than class. My sisters and I grew up calling him Father Christmas but now all (including our children) call him Santa. It's starting to rub off on my parents too.

DS4 calls him Santa Christmas so not sure what class that makes us?

Hideous social climbers. Obviously.

Scottish and never heard anyone use Father Christmas. It sounds so formal!

@DrSbaitso

DS4 calls him Santa Christmas so not sure what class that makes us?

Hideous social climbers. Obviously.

So true! Because it matters so much these days

Is this the same Scottish OP who posted the other day and was obsessed about this amazing, spectacular, wondrous perceived ‘difference’ between what Scottish and English people call Santa / Father Christmas?

WHY DOES ANYBODY CARE ABOUT THIS?

Call him Doughal if you like OP.

I’m in London and could call him either. No idea really. Never thought about it. And no, it’s not a class signifier. Nonsense.

Well, I'd imagine improved transport and communication have something to do with it. People don't stay in the community or even region they were born in anywhere near as often as they once did, and as they move elsewhere they take their linguistic differences with them.
Or [shudder] the influence of America on our culture.

Why do you think santa is in common use now across the WHOLE OF THE UK and not just Scotland and Ireland ?

Because it’s a better name than stuffy “Father Christmas”.

It just took some parts of England longer to realise this.

Santa here is Scotland - solidly middle class of that’s an issue for you.

I find that a lack of awareness of anything outside an English bubble and conflation of that and social class to be indicative of a more basic level of education and narrow mindedness.

FFS!! Who cares? What is with this obsession with class?

I’d say Father Christmas is the English name.

Usually Santa Claus in Scotland- the difference is probably because Xmas was never a big celebration in Scotland until recently, so they’ve adopted the more ‘modern’ name.

My mother grew up in the 40’s and remembers her father and older siblings going to work on Xmas day. It never used to be a public holiday in Scotland.

My grandfather’s family never celebrated Xmas - he got his stocking (with orange and a penny inside) on New Year’s Eve.

@Flapjacker48

Upper/upper middle - use "Father Christmas"

Working/lower middle - "Santa"

The "Santa" we use in the UK today is almost an original European export to American and has come back as a tackier and vulgar Santa.

Why on earth in the 21st century are you signifying someone's "class" by nitpicking their use of Santa Claus or Father Christmas? What sort of ghastly snob are you? Who even cares which name is used?

My mother grew up in the 40’s and remembers her father and older siblings going to work on Xmas day. It never used to be a public holiday in Scotland.

This is true. Christmas Day wasn't a holiday in Scotland until 1958. www.nts.org.uk/stories/scottish-christmas-traditions

But all of my grandparents (who were all born in the 1910s) would all refer to Santa not Father Christmas. Or "the Big Man".

@TrashyPanda

Why do you think santa is in common use now across the WHOLE OF THE UK and not just Scotland and Ireland ?

Because it’s a better name than stuffy “Father Christmas”.

It just took some parts of England longer to realise this.

Maybe, but I don't think English people started calling father christmas Santa, after binge watching a lot of Take the High Road.