Santa Claus does not come from the
North but from a much warmer place.
Rose Marie Boudeguer
Service Director, Study Service
MONTHLY STRATEGY REPORT
December 2014
Monthly Strategy Report. December 2014
Santa Claus does not come from the North
but from a much warmer place
“To put an economic slant on things, the Christmas holidays are said to be important as
they contribute to economic growth by increasing consumption, which accounts for 60% to
70% of the GDP in developed countries. However, the theme of this article is a little more
festive. Two years ago we broke tradition alleging that the Three Wise Men were not from
the East but came from Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and now we are proposing that Santa
Claus is not from the North Pole but from Alicante...”
Christmas is here, and some children are anxiously awaiting the Three Wise Men and others are
excited because Santa Claus will be here soon, that chubby chap with a white beard and twinkling
eyes, dressed in red and with a sackful of presents on his back. They say he comes from the North Pole
where he has an enormous factory for making toys that he delivers in his flying sleigh.
But Santa Claus is not really from the North Pole, he comes from a much warmer place. For many
children in Europe, Santa Claus is from Spain.
The legend of Santa Claus originated in the story of Saint Nicholas, a bishop who was known for his
generosity and his love for children. Nicholas of Myra was born in Lycia, a province of Asia Minor in
ancient times, which is now modern day Turkey. He lived in the fourth century of the Christian era.
When his parents died he inherited an enormous fortune. However he decided to give away all his
wealth and become a priest. He eventually became bishop of the city of Myra. Many philanthropic
works and miracles were attributed to him. For example, it is said that he raised three murdered
children from the dead, and saved many innocent victims from condemnation. It is also told that - in
the middle of a terrible storm - the sailors whose ship was about to be wrecked at sea prayed to him
for protection and the saint’s image appeared above the ship as the storm abated and the sea became
calm.
Nicholas was also a missionary, theologian and was said to have taken an active part in the first
ecumenical council, the Council of Nicaea. After his death on 6 December 345 AD, devotion to Saint
Nicholas grew, and he became the patron saint of children, sailors and travellers.
Originally the figure of Saint Nicholas was revered only in the East.
However in 1087, his remains were transferred to Bari in southern Italy
to keep them safe from non-believers following the Muslim invasion.
This is why he also became known as Saint Nicholas of Bari, and from
then on his image spread throughout Europe. In the 13th century, his
saint’s day became a recognised festival. As he was famed for being
the protector of children, he was commemorated on that day by giving
sweets and presents to children. Little by little, the 6 December became
a family holiday
This tradition continues today in several European countries. Saint
Nicholas’ day is mainly celebrated in Luxembourg, Belgium and Holland
- where he is known as Sint Nikolaas or Sinterklaas - but also in northeastern France- as Saint Nicholas, and in Germany and Austria -where he
is Sankt Nikolaus.
San Nicolás de Mira
Every year, a few weeks before 6 December, Sinterklaas arrives in Holland having travelled from Spain
Monthly Strategy Report. December 2014
by ship. The ship is said to set sail from Alicante. There is some logic in this legend. On one hand, it
links Saint Nicholas to the maritime world, and so it is not surprising that he arrives in a boat. And on
the other, the Sinterklaas tradition gained in popularity when Flanders was part of the Spanish empire.
The city of Bari also belonged to the Kingdom of Naples, conquered by Alphonse V of Aragón, and
until the 18th century was a part of the Spanish empire. Finally, the patron saint of Alicante is none
other than Saint Nicholas.
On the night of the 5 December, Sint Nikolaas distributes gifts mounted on a white horse and is
accompanied by his servant, Zwarte Piet, which means Black Peter, who it is said, could be the devil,
domesticated by Nicholas and obliged to do good works. The Saint does not wish to be seen as a
benefactor, which is why he works at night. He travels over the rooftops dropping gifts and sweets
down the chimney pots.
The image of Saint Nicholas has been gradually
transformed over the centuries. His green tunic
became red with golden trim, his beard became
white and his figure more stylised.
In 1624 Dutch migrants arrived on American
shores and founded the city of New Amsterdam
which would later become New York. There the
tradition of Sinterklaas continued, becoming
Sinter Klaas and finally Santa Claus.
Sinterklaas
This deep- rooted and picturesque devotion
drew the attention of several writers in the
new continent. The first author to mention this character was Washington Irving who published
Knickerbocker’s story of New York in 1809. Irving called him Guardian of New York which further
increased his popularity with North Americans. In 1823 the newspaper, The Guardian published a poem
by Clement Clark Moore entitled A visit from Saint Nicholas in which he describes how a magical
figure travels on a sleigh drawn by reindeer and adorned with bells.
In 1863, Harper’s Weekly published the first drawing of Santa by Thomas Nast, a German immigrant
who became a renowned artist and journalist. Initially Santa Claus appeared with the features of a
sprite, however in subsequent years his image changed to resemble the character we know today,
tall, chubby and smiling without his tunic or bishop’s mitre. The legend that Santa Claus lives in the
North Pole may also have been Nast’s invention. The 29 December 1866 edition of Harper’s Weekly
contained a series of his drawings entitled, Santa Claus and his works one of which was entitled Santa
Clausville, NP. It was accompanied by a poem by George P. Webster in which Santa Claus’ house was
“near the North Pole in a land of ice and snow”.
In 1930, Coca Cola decided to make Santa Claus the star of
its Christmas campaign. The image was to be repeated in
subsequent years in drawings by the Swedish artist Habdon
Sundblom which rounded out the shape of this tall man with
his jolly beaming face, twinkling friendly eyes, and dressed him
a red tunic with a white fur trim.
Santa Claus
The fact that Santa Claus brings presents on Christmas Eve
instead of the night of 5 December goes back to the protestant
reformation of northern Europe which attached greater
importance to the Christkind, (the baby Jesus) as a bringer of
Monthly Strategy Report. December 2014
gifts. However the tradition of Saint Nicholas prevailed and through a Solomonic judgement his figure
was incorporated in the Christmas festivities.
Today, Christmas without Santa Claus is almost unimaginable. His name changes according to country:
Santa Claus, San Nicolás, Père Noël, Papá Noel, Pai Natal, Viejito Pascuero, Father Christmas, Babbo
Natale, or simply Santa. He is one of the most popular figures in the world.
Physically, he no longer resembles the bishop of Myra in any way, however the figure of this popular
character is intrinsically linked to the work of a good Christian who made his whole life an example of
humanity, and who was concerned with the welfare of children, dispensed limitless charity and fought
to combat injustice and poverty.
This symbol of goodness, peace and happiness... they say that he comes from a cold climate but really
he is from a much warmer place
And just as Saint Nicholas does every year, arriving early to inaugurate the Christmas holidays, the
Market Strategy team begins this month of December by sending you all our very best wishes for a
Happy Christmas full of peace, hope and joy.