When you’re thinking about different holidays the first thing that comes to mind is Christmas. Christmas is the time of the year when everyone comes together to eat dinner and exchange gifts. The most notable tradition when it comes to Christmas is the gifts. In today’s society we put stuff, cold hard plastic, above the love from one’s family and getting to spend time with them. Santa Clause is the most prominent figure, in his big red suit and rotund belly, he’s hard to forget. The origins of Christmas has been forgotten and replaced with greed and food. Instead of looking forward to family we look forward to presents.
During Christmas time one looks forward to a fat man, breaking into their house, and leaving them presents. Santa Claus is a well-known, highly prominent, figure in our holiday tradition. However, he is portrayed more as a public menace than the jolly, wonderful person, children have come to know. We portray this fat man as a form of god, whom children worship. When Santa Claus comes to “visit” we always leave him cookies and milk, sometimes carrots for the reindeer, the same reindeer forced to fly around the entire earth, in one night. Why do we leave food and drink for a fellow breaking into our house? Breaking into someone’s house is not something we should be
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However, when one takes a deeper look into the words in the songs are children are singing; we learn exactly how disturbing these songs are. One of the most disturbing songs parents let their children sing is “Santa Claus is coming to Town”. In the song, there is a line that says “he sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake, he knows if you've been good or bad,” and, basically, this is saying Santa Claus is stocking their children. Is this seriously the message we want to be sending to our children? That it’s okay to stock someone when they are sleeping. How is this
Is Santa truly a secular figure or is he a religious one? This has been a long-standing argument. However, instead of viewing Saint Nick as either secular or religious, it would be more beneficial to examine him as a figure consisting of both religious and secular elements. It is true that the contemporary Santa Claus may be more associated with secular concepts, such as consumerism, but it is also crucial to emphasize the origins of the jolly old man. He is the product of Western Christianization. It is thought that he was created from a combination of the historical figure of Saint Nicholas, a Christian saint, who was known for giving gifts, and the fictional character of Father Christmas from British folklore (CITE). Santa Claus can be viewed
In Jay Mock’s blog “Is Santa Claus a Conspiracy?” he contemplates whether Santa Claus has an evil purpose. Mock goes through what happens every year during Christmas time now and how “good feelings are directly connected to consumerism” (Mock p3), how we lie to support the conspiracy (Mock p5) and the different options a child may go through when trying to decide whether Santa Claus is real or not (Mock p7-15).
There is a man that comes to visit young girls and boys all over the world every Christmas Eve, some call him St. Nicholas, Father Christmas, and Santa Clause. No matter what he is called, he is a global iconic figure, dating all the way back in 280 AD (St. Nicholas). Many people celebrate this iconic figure along with Christmas, children will make out a list of goodies they want Santa to bring them on Christmas and wait for the magical sleigh pulled by reindeers to stop by their house. How did this bishop take his devotion in his faith and his generosity to one famely become such as global sensation of a whimsical jolly man? This is how the modern day holly jolly Santa with a red outfit pulled by reindeers on Christmas so many years ago
Most people know the story of Santa. While there are many different versions, the gist of it is the night before Christmas, while children are sleeping, a fat man slips down the chimney to distribute gifts to boys and girls that have been good all year. The story was meant to bring hope and joy to children. It was a tale of giving and of love. However, as time goes on characters change, sometimes for better, and sometimes they take a turn for the worst.
Santa Claus, simply Santa, is who brings gifts to good children on 25 December, Christmas day. He makes a list of children whole over the world and evaluates their behavior such as naughty or nice. Accordingly, the naughty children can’t get a gift and nice children can get a gift on Christmas day. Santa commonly depicted as white bearded man wearing red coat with a black leather belt and boots. On Christmas, he rides in a carriage pulled by Rudolph and reindeers and gives children gifts. He always smiles and loves children.
Christmas has consumed itself. At its conception, it was a fine idea, and I imagine that at one point its execution worked very much as it was intended to. These days, however, its meaning has been perverted; its true purpose ignored and replaced with a purpose imagined by those who merely go through the motions, without actually knowing why they do so.
In today's world, Santa has been completely discredited. Standing as a source of entertainment just for fun. His naughty or nice list crumbled up and tossed in the trash. Even knowing right
...ch out only for themselves, we lose sight of what Christmas is truly about. Forgetting the being of Santa Claus only makes us slight the kindness on which this holiday is based. Not believe in Santa! You may as well not believe in the very gifts laid under the tree on Christmas morn. Without your faith, Santa Claus would be nonexistent. There would be no yearning in your soul to give of yourself to others, no example to follow. Thank God, Santa Claus exists and exists forever, lightening the heavy heart as the sight of the snow blankets the soul and defines the heart of childhood.
Christmas is almost here again, but have you ever thought how odd some of the holiday traditions are and how they became so popular? Buying a pine tree, setting it up in your house and then decorating it with festive lights and ornaments; hanging up stockings filled with candy over the fireplace; or how an old guy in a red-suit comes to your house the night before Christmas and leaves presents. This, too many Americans is normal, but why? Learning about these holiday traditions will get you into the Christmas spirit and show you what Christmas is truly about.
Christmas is a special time of year that deserves to be remembered for its true meaning. Every year, Christmas becomes more and more commercialized and society forgets the origin of Christmas. It was not started with cookies, toys, and a fat man that delivers them, but instead it started with a humble inn where our Savior was born. The definition of Christmas is “a holiday on December 25 celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.” Nowhere in that definition does it say anything about the outrageous pressure society has set on consumers to buy, buy, buy during the Christmas season. Christmas is about presence not presents.
The well known holiday of Christmas today is far from what it was in it’s former being. Many aspects led to the change in Christmas, however Charles Dickens, a Victorian era author was arguably the most influential in the change. There was a time when christmas was not much more important than your average holiday. Without the work of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Regency Christmas would not have changed to be the way it is today. As we examine the Regency Christmas, the Christmas events in A Christmas Carol, new Christmas ideas, and today’s new christmas we will form the true Christmas.
Many people in American society assume that the main purpose of Christmas is the supposed coming of Santa Claus. Their assumption however is far from the truth. The origins of Christmas, which literally means "Christ mass," actually lie in Christianity-not in the fat man with a stomach that jiggles like a bowl full of jelly. Centuries ago, Christians developed a tradition of celebrating Jesus Christ's birthday. Although Christians were unsure of the exact date of Christ's birth, they officially declared December 25th as the day they would celebrate it. The holiday began simply as a day in which families would spend quality time together, reflecting on Jesus' life, giving thanks to God for sending his "one and only son."
I don’t remember when my daughter, Maxine, first heard about Santa. Chances are good I wasn’t even aware of it. The symbol of “the spirit of Christmas” is so ever-present in America — steeped in our culture the same way God is steeped in our culture. As an American child, there was no way Maxine was ever going to miss the Santa
Christmas, a federal holiday since the year 1870; The name “Christmas” derives from Old English Christes maesse, meaning “Christ’s mass.” It has been my favorite holiday since before I can remember. I love the delicious food, the various presents under the tree, and of course, spending time with my family. The holiday celebrations at the Rogers house meant more when the majority of us were still young. Now, we are older, and all have to work, Christmas is the only holiday we get to spend together. Much like, “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, she writes about a tradition that she wants to continue, just like I wish to continue a lifelong Christmas tradition.
Carols, snow, mistletoe, cookies and milk. These are all synonymous with the Christmas season. However, for many, the true staple of Christmas is Santa Claus. Every child has felt the joy of Christmas Eve, spending time with family, leaving treats out for Santa, tossing and turning in their beds in anticipation for old St. Nick’s arrival. Although what Santa does is well known, his origins are slightly less familiar to most. The man we identify with Christmas has developed over a long time and has encountered many changes. “The original St. Nicholas is for the most part a shadowy figure, lost in historical mists and religious myths. (Myers 318).