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.

We always say santa but my mum is Italian so had santa Lucia when she was a child and it stuck

[quote Flapjacker48]@dementedpixie I have a circle of Scottish friends in Edinburgh (not incomers), middle class and all use Father Christmas.[/quote]
Edinburgh girl here.

Always said Santa.

My grandfather was a general and my grandmother was a countess.

I expect upper class / the Queen etc still say Father Christmas

The late QM identified as Scottish. So her daughter might well say Santa.

Because Santa is the norm in Scotland. For all classes.

@MarshmallowFondant

No. It's a regional thing. Nobody in Scotland, Ireland or NE England would say Father Christmas.

We have this thread every year and it just shows up the ignorance of some posters about the country they live in.

Yup

This again? I can't roll my eyes far enough back in my head!

Nope

The obsession (some) people on MN have with class boggles my mind.

yep

We have this thread every year and it just shows up the ignorance of some posters about the country they live in.

This. Ffs guys, learn something

London-centric posters sneering at the "provinces" and assuming everyone north of about Warwick is lower class.

Please don't tar all Londoners with the same brush plus the ones that sneer probably aren't even born & bred Londoners.

Santa = Americanism that is now popular in the UK

Nope

How can so many people live in such a small bubble & be so unaware

Grew up in a council house in a single-parent family. It’s Father Christmas all the way here. My mother hated (and still does hate) Americanisms. We didn’t even watch Sesame Street.

I haven't read the thread but the OP made me chuckle as my parents were always adamant that it was Father Christmas and NOT Santa Claus when I was growing up. We're as working class as can be!

Nowadays I use them both - depends what mood I'm in. I use mostly Santa as it seems to be what everyone else uses.

Even if Santa Claus came to us from America, there is nothing wrong with that, Britain has always been a country that borrows words and ideas from other cultures, America is neither worse nor better than any other country. I'm not American but some of the comments here implying American = bad are bordering on xenophobic.

Also from Edinburgh and am very surprised to hear your Edinburgh chums say Father Christmas. I grew up in an affluent part of the city (if class is coming into it) and it was always Santa.

We use it interchangeably here 🤷‍♀️

It really is just regional. ‘Father Christmas’ is uniquely English and was a wholly separate character. He’s basically been merged-into or replaced by Santa in terms of his characterization, but some English folk use the old name still.

I’m Irish - we say Santa - always have done and have and not been influenced by American approach - opposite if anything - although the English would hate that someone else had influence. It seems that certain people feel English approach is the “correct” approach some people need to get out more - I despair of your uneducated closed vision.

What a load of baubels!
Grew up working class Brummie in the 70s and 80s. It's Father Christmas.

Father Christmas = uk
Santa = American

[quote LittleRoundRobin]@MarshmallowFondant

Think there is a definite air of London-centric posters sneering at the "provinces" and assuming everyone north of about Warwick is lower class.

This. This site is littered with goady threads like this, full of pathetic snobbery, from poorly educated, narrow-minded people 'down south' who assume everyone 'oop north' is a thick lower class chav.

If they took their head out of their arse for a second or two, they would see there are many interesting cities, towns, villages, and attractions outside bloody LONDON! Frankly, I wouldn't live there if you paid me. For sooooooooooo many reasons.[/quote]
We are not all like this - I would recoil in horror at the shit that is displayed in this site, I beg them to reveal themselves in real life so I can joyfully avoid their narrow minded shit.

Really? I think Father Christmas sounds more working class than Santa (and more English vs American).

@IVflytrap unfortunately this sort of xenophobia and snobbery pops up every time someone mentions class or holidays etc. like it’s somehow acceptable to bash one culture over others. It’s so predictable but always disappointing.

Father Christmas = uk
Santa = American

Do read the thread before posting

Oh for God's sake, it's SANTY...( I'm Irish).

Could say English are stupid and narrow minded but I married one and my kids are English - I hope I can educate them not to make stupid statements like Santa is working class - even if it were, why focus on it - you’re a twat!