You probably know that Santa Claus resides at the North Pole with his wife, Mrs. Claus, and a crew of reindeer and elves, but do you know where he came from?
According to historians, the story of Jolly Old Saint Nick started with Saint Nicholas, an early Christian bishop. As per History.com, the Greek saint gave up his wealth and wandered the countryside of what is now modern-day Turkey. Nicholas became one of Europe's most respected saints as stories of his assisting those in need circulated for decades.
When did Santa Claus become famous in the US?
Per Fox News, while documented data on the legendary Christian saint are few, history has it that he wore crimson robes, which is represented in many portrayals of him. Historians believe that these red robes had a role in the development of Santa Claus, whose name is derived from the Dutch nickname for Sint Nikolaas, Sinter Klass.
With the influx of Dutch immigrants in New York in the late 1700s, the Saga of Saint Nicholas found its way to the United States, where it finally gained national recognition. By the early nineteenth century, American businessmen, painters, and authors had shifted away from historical saints toward fantasy narratives.
The adored saint's tall and thin visage was transformed into the fat and jovial Christmas persona that the world remembers today by John Pintard, Washington Irving, Clement Clarke Moore, and Thomas Nast, the New York Public Library reported.
Pintard, a merchant and founder of the New York Historical Society, exploited and marketed pictures of Saint Nicholas to counter British influence. Around the same time, Irving, a short-story writer, published a satirical section in his first novel, 'Knickerbocker's History of New York,' about a gift-giving Nicholas (1809).
Moore's renowned poem, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas: A Visit from St. Nicholas,' entered the mainstream cultural world fourteen years later, with a comparable piece of written fiction (1823). The 28-line poem depicted a miraculous sleigh-riding Saint Nick delivering presents on Christmas Eve with the assistance of "eight small reindeer," a detail that has stayed a part of Santa's tale for over two centuries.
Nast, a German-American cartoonist who depicted a cheerful suit-wearing and bearded Saint Nick for Harper's Weekly in 1863, is credited with creating the first depiction of the Santa that the world knows and loves. Nast continued to sketch Santa, finally ditching his stars-and-stripes-patterned clothing in favor of a solid red coat with white fur trim.
'Merry Old Santa Claus,' Nast's most famous Santa photo, was made in 1881 and depicted a rosy-cheeked and white-haired Santa clutching a pipe and an armful of presents, as well as a bag, pocket watch, and mistletoe.
In the United States, subsequent portrayals seldom have varied from Nast's illustrations. If you don't believe us, check out a handful of Santa's most memorable pop culture appearances and decide for yourself.
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Santa Claus during the COVID-19 pandemic
According to Dr. Abraar Karan, an infectious disease expert at Stanford University, sitting on Santa's lap is almost a comical instance of what NOT to do during the pandemic.
According to him, a combination for disaster may be as follows: an unwittingly afflicted child whispers his holiday wish list to Santa, coupled with COVID-19 aerosols. Santa, whose beard prevents him from wearing his mask properly, develops an asymptomatic condition and continues fling children from his lap, potentially infecting them. Then all children who are too little to get vaccinated or wear a well-fitting mask return home to families who have gathered for the holidays.
Fortunately, an in-person visit may be achievable by taking a few basic measures. Dr. Jill Weatherhead, assistant professor of adult and pediatric infectious diseases at Baylor College of Medicine, recommends getting everyone vaccinated if feasible and using good-quality masks.
Consider the number of viruses in your area. Keep your visit brief and to the point. Also, look into your mall's unique protocols. Santa and other photo booth staff, such as photographers and other festive figures, may be required to get vaccinated in some locations.
Instead of sitting on Santa's lap, most malls allow children to snap a photograph from a safe distance. Masks are required in several shopping centers. To minimize overcrowding in the picture area, some require parents to secure a place for their child's photo session ahead of time, as per NPR.
