"Santa" is an Americanism - in the UK its "Father Christmas" isnt it?

[janmoomoo]

Or am I being pedantic?

i alwys think so. but i don't know if it actually is or not.

I think so too.

Isn't Santa a corruption of St Nicholas?

I've always said Santa Claus

Don't thinjk this is American. We've always said santa haven't we.

Santa Claus is a short form of San Nicolas. Father Christmas sounds weirder to me.

Father Christmas sounds more pagan iyswim.

Santa Claus is just plain wrong

Father Christmas is the only right and proper way!

Well any Scots I know always say "Santa" or "Santa Claus" myself included.

In Scotland its definately Santa - As far as I'm aware "Father Christmas" is specifically English rather than British.

The name "Santa Claus" is an American accented version of the Dutch "Sinterklaas." St. Nicholas and Santa Claus are the same person, but many people don't realize that. They are one in the same, but they look different because they are at different points in his posthumous evolution.

Just looked on Wikipedia and it says....

"In the United Kingdom and Europe, his depiction is often identical to the American Santa, but he is commonly called Father Christmas.

One legend associated with Santa says that he lives in the far north, in a land of perpetual snow. The American version of Santa Claus lives at the North Pole, while Father Christmas is said to reside in Lapland."

Not sure of origins of the words.

Father Christmas all the way.

Hey Saltire - I always say Santa too and get completely p*ed off when people correct me.

It is the season of feckin goodwill after all!!!!!!!

And please tell me someone didn't say 'posthumous evolution' on this thread.....

I say Santa (I am Scottish)

Maybe there's 2 of them. All this time we believed one man was doing the job!

All the best Christmas films have Santa, not Father Christmas in them, but then I s'pose those films are American.

Posthumous evolution? Yes this is a serious academic debate you know, not just women jawing!

Which stage of his posthumous evolution are we on now, ffs?

It's been Santa in Scotland as long as my nearly 70 year old Mum can remember.

Father Christmas - it's so English, doncha know?

xpost jan - sorry, I appear to have strayed on to pretentiousnet.

Will go find musnet now...

Mumsnet, even....

Always intermingled here (Bournemouth, Cornish mum).

I prefer Santa, tis more snuggly feeling.

Plus Flameboy is calling christmas trees "Santa Trees" which I am actively encouraging as it is cute.

Seems like it's definitely Santa in Scotland!

Then again, the dorset & cornish upbringing is a nightmare anyway.

I started working in Tescos as a late teen not having a f*ckin clue which was a turnip and swede

Scotland are all in agreement. Wot about England?