(VHQN) - The image of Santa Claus that we often see in Vietnam is that of an American-style Santa. Generally, he is a chubby, cheerful man with a beard and fair skin. He usually wears glasses, a red coat with a white fur collar and trim, red pants with white fur trim, and a red hat with white fur trim. To add to his... impressive look, he also wears a leather belt and black boots, carrying a bag full of gifts for children. He has a cheerful gaze and a warm smile.
Why do our children and even adults often picture Santa Claus in this way? It's because Americans think of their Santa Claus that way, and as a superpower, they have promoted that image from the 19th century to the present day through books, films, songs, paintings, and advertisements.
Besides our country, many other countries now also use this American-style Santa Claus image.
However, Santa Claus in Western Europe actually differs quite a bit in appearance. For example, the traditional English Santa Claus, which originated in the 17th century, usually wears a green cloak, a wreath of ivy on his head, and carries a staff.
In Spain, Santa Claus isn't just one, but three. They're known as Los Reyes Magos, or the three wise men. In the days leading up to El Dia de Reyes, or Epiphany—a very important Christian celebration that takes place at the beginning of January each year—Spanish children write letters to their favorite wise man—Melchor, Gaspar, or Baltasar.
Meanwhile, Pere Noel, the French Santa Claus, has a very unique style. Instead of the traditional red hat, Pere Noel wears a fur-trimmed hood over a fashionable long cloak. Instead of leaving milk and cookies for Santa, children leave carrots and food for Pere Noel's flying donkey.
In Germany, Santa Claus has many different names, depending on the region of the country. But they use four of the most common names: Weihnachtsmann, Klaus, Nickel, and Niglo. Germans also celebrate Niklolaustag, or St. Nicholas Day, on December 6th.
Instead of goblins, St. Nick is accompanied by more fearsome characters known as Aschenmann, Bartl, Boozenickel, Hans Trapp, Klaubauf, Belsnickel/Pelznickel, Ruhklas, and Knecht Ruprecht. Just reading them is lengthy. But these can evoke many very German stories from Grimm's fairy tales.
In the Netherlands, Santa Claus is known as Sinterklaas. He is considered the Dutch version of Santa Claus, most closely resembling St. Nick. He wears a tall, red bishop's hat and carries a jeweled staff. After riding his white horse into cities, villages, and towns, Sinterklaas knocks on doors to deliver gifts to good boys and girls.
While Swedish children call Santa Claus Tomte or Jultomten, the Swedish version of Santa Claus traditionally doesn't resemble the American Santa Claus at all, but rather looks like a gnome found in Swedish folklore. At Christmas, an adult family member dons a red cloak and a Tomte mask before distributing presents to all the children.
The Russian and Ukrainian version of Santa Claus is Ded Moroz, a figure from Slavic mythology often depicted as a sorcerer or demon. Traditionally, he would punish naughty children by kidnapping them. But that's a thing of the past; later, Moroz became benevolent, accompanied by the Snow Girl Snegurochka, who gave gifts to children.
In Norway, Santa Claus is somewhat similar to the Swedish Santa Claus, Jultomten. He is called Julenisse from the North Pole and gives gifts to children at Christmas, but he usually wears gray clothes and has a gray beard.
Meanwhile, Lutheran families in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia have a "Mrs. Claus" named Christkind or Christ Child. She brings gifts to good children. She is very beautiful, has a very attractive outfit, wears a crown, and must have long, curly blonde hair. She has an angelic beauty and a gentle personality.
Santa Claus in Finland is called Joulupukki. At Christmas, he goes from house to house asking in Finnish, “Onko täällä kilttejä lapsia?” (Are there any good children here?), and then delivers presents. He drives a sleigh pulled by reindeer, not a flying sleigh.
In fact, the modern-day Santa Claus can be understood as the "deliveryman" who used to deliver Christmas presents to children. His name is Father Christmas in English. Folklore from various countries depicting this gift-delivering man was then combined with the image of Saint Nicholas to create the mythological figure known to the rest of the English-speaking world as "Santa Claus".
In any case, Santa Claus has become a global icon. As Jonathal Meath, a renowned television director who played Santa Claus convincingly in 2010, said: “Santa Claus is really the only cultural icon we have that is a man, without a gun, and always focused on peace , joy, giving, and caring for others.”
"It's a magical part of it for me, especially in a culture where we've become so commercialized and obsessed with the symbols that people produce. Santa Claus is more authentic and natural, and much more whole, with connections to the past, and therefore connections to the future."
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