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Here Comes
Here Comes
Santa
Santa

Claus!
Claus!

left: Santa candy tray, unmarked, 1950s. 5-1/2” l. right: Ceramic Santa in a sleigh by Brad Keeler. 8” h By Donald-Brian Johnson

“Here comes Santa Claus, and girls, the Epiphany was also eagerly anticipat-
Here comes Santa Claus, ed. Tiny boxes filled with munchies for the Wise
Right down Santa Claus lane!” Men's camels—leaves and other vegetation—
were replaced by morning with the sort of
– Gene Autry & Oakley Haldeman, 1947 munchies human children enjoy.
St. Nicholas made his way to America with
anta. St. Nick. Father Christmas. No matter Dutch immigrants in the 1600s. Mispronunciations of
what they call him in your neck of the woods, “Sinter Klaas” by those unfamiliar with the language
eventually resulted in the name we now know and love:
S it’s Christmas time again, and … he’s baaaack! “Santa Claus!”
Although the custom of Christmas gift-giving Napco candle-hugger Santas, 3” h
originates with the Three Kings, the legend of Santa
Claus dates to the fourth century. Stories of his origin vary, but here’s “A Little Old Driver, So
one favorite: Lively And Quick”
The setting was Asia Minor, where a down-on-his-luck nobleman Initial depictions of Santa offer us a thin
found himself unable to cough up dowries for his three daughters. man with a long, scraggly white beard, clad in
Enter St. Nicholas, a kindly (and well-to-do) bishop, who crept to the what appears to be a hooded, floor-length red
man’s home one wintry eve. With exceptionally good aim, he tossed the bathrobe. Even Clement Clarke Moore’s 1822 poem,
three bags of gold he’d brought along through an open window. They A Visit from St. Nicholas, which cemented in the
conveniently landed in three stockings left hanging to dry before a popular consciousness such images as “stockings hung
roaring fire. The result: dowries for each daughter. Thanks to some by the chimney with care,” “eight tiny reindeer,” and
sleuthing on the part of the happy nobleman, his mysterious unannounced entrances via a chimney, referred to
benefactor was identified, and tales of the generosity of St. Nicholas Santa as a “right jolly old elf.” Early illustrations
soon became legend. accompanying Moore’s poem accented
Early helpers of St. Santa’s gnomish, elf-like appearance. (Moore Plastic Santa candy favor,
Nicholas (i.e., parents), is said to have based the characterization on 3-1/4” h
stayed with the stuffed- his right jolly old handyman, Jay Duyckinck.)
stocking theme, although The image of a roly-poly, human-sized gent in a red suit and fluffy
bags of gold were quickly white beard, came courtesy of Harper’s Bazaar illustrator Thomas Nast, in
replaced by apples, oranges, the 1860s. That visual, refined since then in countless Coca-Cola ads by
candies, and small home- Haddon Sundblom, and Ideals magazine covers by George Hinke, are
made toys. Other cultures essentially the “Santa” we recognize today.
offered their own variations. Stores jumped on Santa’s sleigh as early as the 1820s.
Children who lived in The In 1841, a life-size Santa figure in a Philadelphia shop
Netherlands filled wooden window attracted hordes of eager youngsters, who
shoes with hay for the horses dragged along their toy-buying parents, much to the
accompanying “Sinter Klaas” owner’s delight. Live department store Santas soon
(that’s Dutch for “St. followed, as did “Letters to Santa,” those annual
Nicholas”). The next morn- wish lists which turned such tiny towns as
ing, delightful goodies had “Santa Claus, Indiana” into postal
miraculously taken the Meccas.
place of the hay. Italian Over the centuries, Santa Claus has
children waited until at times been denounced. A Danish
January 6th, the “Feast of clergyman referred to him as “en
the Three Kings,” for the hedensk trold” (that’s “a heathen gob-
arrival of “La Befana,” who lin”), and even his very existence has
filled their empty shoes with (gasp) occasionally been denied. Francis
Santa Claus Funnies, a special holiday issue treats. For Puerto Rican boys Holland Mold Santa Pharcellus Church set the record straight,
from Dell, 1946. candy container, 5-1/2” h

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