The creation of Father Christmas
The Field|December 2021
Folklore, religion, and revelry have combined over the centuries to create the festive figure so central to our celebrations today
ETTIENEIL-GALLACHER
The creation of Father Christmas

It’s fitting that our image of Father Christmas is of a portly old cove bursting out at the seams, because he is in fact two figures squeezed into one vast festive red onesie. Until the late 19th century, Father Christmas and Santa Claus were quite separate ideas. For while Father Christmas was borne of the English allegorical personification of the festive season of Sir Christëmas, which first appeared in a 15th-century carol, he was predated by several centuries by the European Christian figure of St Nicholas – or Sinterklaas, as the Dutch called him.

The cult of St Nicholas developed in Europe after his relics were brought to Italy in 1087. But St Nicholas himself was very different to his cosy descendent; far from being a rotund, genial old softie, he was a slim, adamantine polemicist from Patara in Asia Minor in modern-day Turkey, who as Bishop of Myra was imprisoned in Constantinople for his faith, under the Great Persecution of the Emperor Diocletian, only to be released by Constantine.

この記事は The Field の December 2021 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

この記事は The Field の December 2021 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

THE FIELDのその他の記事すべて表示
Rory Stewart - The former Cabinet minister and hit podcast host talks to Alec Marsh about the parlous state of British politics, land management and his deep love of the countryside
The Field

Rory Stewart - The former Cabinet minister and hit podcast host talks to Alec Marsh about the parlous state of British politics, land management and his deep love of the countryside

The gently spoken 51-year-old former Conservative Cabinet minister is a countryman at heart. That's clear: he even changes into a tweed waistcoat for the interview, which takes place at his London home and begins with a question about his precise career status. Having resigned from the Commons and the Conservative Party in 2019, the former diplomat and soldier has reinvented himself, first with an unconventional but promising run as an independent for the London mayoralty (abandoned because of COVID19 in 2020) and then as a media figure, co-hosting one of the country's most popular podcasts, The Rest Is Politics, alongside Alastair Campbell, the former Labour spin doctor.

time-read
4 分  |
November 2024
Fodder
The Field

Fodder

Local fare with the feel-good factor.

time-read
2 分  |
November 2024
Celebrating the game changers
The Field

Celebrating the game changers

Once served only in the traditional manner, the fruits of our forays now find their way into all manner of diverse and delicious dishes, say Neil and Serena Cross

time-read
3 分  |
November 2024
The first civil engineer
The Field

The first civil engineer

John Smeaton left an indelible mark on the field of engineering and, three centuries after his birth, his legacy remains as strong as ever

time-read
6 分  |
November 2024
School spirits
The Field

School spirits

From grey ladies and ghostly gardeners to more malign entities, public schools are a rich repository of unnatural phenomena

time-read
8 分  |
November 2024
'A long way from Piccadilly or Pall Mall'
The Field

'A long way from Piccadilly or Pall Mall'

Marking 150 years since the birth of Sir Winston Churchill, Dr Conor Farrington explores this eminent statesman’s often-overlooked 1907 tour of British East Africa: a journey rich with enchanting natural beauty and sporting adventure

time-read
7 分  |
November 2024
Top of the pups
The Field

Top of the pups

Canines in all their guises were celebrated at The Field Top Dog Awards lunch at Defender Burghley Horse Trials whether eager on the peg, patient at home or perpetually making mischief

time-read
6 分  |
November 2024
Angling for success
The Field

Angling for success

It’s never too early to shape up for next season’s salmon and trout, and these top fishing schools are here to help

time-read
7 分  |
November 2024
Talking scents
The Field

Talking scents

The canine nose is an astonishingly complex piece of biotechnology that man has harnessed for sustenance and sport for thousands of years

time-read
7 分  |
November 2024
Wall-to-wall excitement
The Field

Wall-to-wall excitement

Criss-crossed by formidable drystone walls, the High Peak Harriers’ scenic country provides a day out with an exhilarating difference

time-read
7 分  |
November 2024