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Original poster

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

378 replies

Flapjacker48 · 25/12/2021 09:22

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.

OP posts:
Bloodypunkrockers · 27/12/2021 03:43

@MissCruellaDeVil

Father Christmas = British

Santa = American, only used in recent years as it's what we see American movies / social media etc.

Loudly and slowly for those at the back.

A wee bit of England does not = the UK

Read the thread

Theremoresefulday · 27/12/2021 06:14

@MissCruellaDeVil

Father Christmas = British

Santa = American, only used in recent years as it's what we see American movies / social media etc.

No.
UpDownRound · 27/12/2021 07:23

@MissCruellaDeVil Why are you so arrogant to assume either a) Your assumption is so important and correct you will post it on page 13 having not RTFT or b) You don't believe the experiences of 13 pages of Scots and Irish posters who have posted to the contrary.

I know it seems a leap but it honestly doesn't surprise me that so many Scots supported independence, even though I didn't myself. It's hard to appreciate when you live in England (as I do now) just how English-centric the UK is and how the lives of people in other parts of the country are so frequently dismissed and ignored (and no this is not the same as people in Yorkshire wanting independence and feeling England is too London centric, as some English people tried to explain to me. That in itself kind of proves the point they don't realise how different culture and traditions are elsewhere in the UK).

SirChenjins · 27/12/2021 07:41

@MissCruellaDeVil

Father Christmas = British

Santa = American, only used in recent years as it's what we see American movies / social media etc.

Oh dear … another one who conflates England and UK.
SirChenjins · 27/12/2021 07:41

Or rather, Britain.

UsernameInTheTown · 27/12/2021 08:42

Round here FC is very Chavvy and Santa is for the more discerning Grin. Xxx

TrashyPanda · 27/12/2021 09:00

@MissCruellaDeVil

Father Christmas = British

Santa = American, only used in recent years as it's what we see American movies / social media etc.

Santa - worldwide FC - parts of England.
MarshmallowFondant · 27/12/2021 09:04

[quote IVflytrap]@bloodypunkrockers Claiming an accent is awful is the rude part, obviously, and something I find tiring because so often on mumsnet it's the working class southeastern English accents that people are mocking or otherwise labelling bad or wrong. I'm not in the mood to have a debate about whether my regional accent is actually real or just "bad English" yet again on MN, it's just depressing when this thread was nearly getting somewhere in terms of people accepting that national and regional differences 1. exist and 2. should be respected (with an added measure of welcome ridicule at the usual mumsnet class snobbery!).[/quote]
Just like the southeastern English people are mocking, or labelling as "bad or wrong" people who are brought up with Santa rather than Father Christmas?

Unless you think the "tacky and vulgar" in the OP is some sort of compliment?

MajorCarolDanvers · 27/12/2021 09:24

@MissCruellaDeVil

Father Christmas = British

Santa = American, only used in recent years as it's what we see American movies / social media etc.

There is more to Britain than your little part of Englandshire

🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

AhNowTed · 27/12/2021 09:29

Irish and brought up Protestant. It's Santa.

"Have always just assumed that Santa trickled through from the USA."

You'd be wrong then.

"Have never thought about it as a class thing - in fact, haven’t really thought about it at all until seeing this thread."

Wrong again.

FFS.. this gets regurgitated every bleeding year.

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 27/12/2021 09:46

This always makes me laugh.
I couldn't give a shiny shit what 'class' box you want to shove me in based on certain words I use or my upbringing.
Class doesn't matter. At all.
I can't think of any situation where someone's presumed class is relevant.

I was raised in the north east of England with parents who came from money. I call the jollyman whatever I want to call him. Father Christmas, Santa, Clausy, st Nick, St Nicholas, daddy crimbo etc.
Judging me is more of an indicator as to what type of person you are than it is of me.

SpinsForGin · 27/12/2021 09:47

@MissCruellaDeVil

Father Christmas = British

Santa = American, only used in recent years as it's what we see American movies / social media etc.

Wrong. So wrong.
LaBelleSausage · 27/12/2021 09:49

The 'poshest' person I know calms him 'Saint Nick' so I'm throwing that into the ring

BendicksBittermints4Breakfast · 27/12/2021 10:16

@LaBelleSausage

The 'poshest' person I know calms him 'Saint Nick' so I'm throwing that into the ring
When we were working in Germany our children had a visit from St Nicholas, the origins of Santa Claus, on 6th December and then had FC on the 25th. For St Nick they left out a red welly and got a few sweets if they'd been good or a set of twigs if they hadn't, from Schwarze Peter.
TrashyPanda · 27/12/2021 11:00

@MissCruellaDeVil

Father Christmas = British

Santa = American, only used in recent years as it's what we see American movies / social media etc.

This fallacy has appeared so often on this thread that I am beginning to wonder if using FC signifies an inability to read, mark and inwardly digest.
qualitygirl · 27/12/2021 11:04

Ireland has Santa...it always has. I agree it comes up on here every year. It seems some people in England love to assume that class is involved in everything.Hmm

Notimeforaname · 27/12/2021 11:09

Santy here in Dublin. Xmas Grin Working class.

But my sister has spent years desperately trying to claw her way up to 'middle class' or at least be seen as middle class so her children must say Santa..not Santy as we gew up saying.

Notimeforaname · 27/12/2021 11:09

grew up*

TheCreamCaker · 27/12/2021 11:10

Seeing as the character is completely fictional, it's not really relevant, is it? You do know he doesn't exist?

voldr · 27/12/2021 11:13

@MissCruellaDeVil

It must be so hard, going through life without the ability to read.

Ibane · 27/12/2021 11:16

@TrashyPanda, I am hearing your BCP quotation in Miss Annersley’s beautiful cello-like tones. Grin

TrashyPanda · 27/12/2021 11:19

[quote Ibane]@TrashyPanda, I am hearing your BCP quotation in Miss Annersley’s beautiful cello-like tones. Grin[/quote]
I wish my eyes had never needed glasses!

AhNowTed · 27/12/2021 11:20

@Notimeforaname

Santy here in Dublin. Xmas Grin Working class.

But my sister has spent years desperately trying to claw her way up to 'middle class' or at least be seen as middle class so her children must say Santa..not Santy as we gew up saying.

Lol you're right it's Santy in Ireland, but I live in the UK so have had to adapt it somewhat 😀
AhNowTed · 27/12/2021 11:23

@qualitygirl

Ireland has Santa...it always has. I agree it comes up on here every year. It seems some people in England love to assume that class is involved in everything.Hmm

Also, those posting whether it's a class signifier, strangely always come out on the middle class side of the conundrum 🙄😂

Notimeforaname · 27/12/2021 11:32

Lol you're right it's Santy in Ireland, but I live in the UK so have had to adapt it somewhat😀

Down with this sort of thing!!!🤣 You know he'll forever be Santy Xmas Grin
I often wonder is there anywhere else in the world that calls him Santy or is it just us ??😆