Santa Claus is a global icon. But where did this friendly old man in a red suit who brings gifts for children actually come from? How could Santa become a central figure of our consumer society?
Everyone knows Santa Claus, but few know much about his origins. This film changes that, by taking us back to the legend of Saint Nicholas of Myra, born ca. 270 AD in Lycia, in what is now Turkey. Said to be a miracle worker, after his death Saint Nicholas of Myra’s remains made their way to Italy and France. He became the patron saint of various European cities, as well as the protector of children.
Legend has it that every year, on December 6, he paraded through the streets handing out candy and gifts to good children. In the Netherlands, he was called Sinter Klaas. Dutch immigrants eventually brought him with them, to America. In the 19th century, two poets and a cartoonist in New Amsterdam (later known as New York City) created the modern Santa Claus.
These days, Santa Claus has made his way to almost every corner of the world. Not as a miracle worker or healer, but as an icon of bourgeois, consumer society. How can he simultaneously be a central figure of a religious, Christian celebration? Time and again, Santa Claus has come under fire. Take Dijon, France, where in 1951 an effigy of Santa Claus was burned in front of a cathedral. And resistance is ongoing, as we see in this film.
#documentary #dwdocumentary #santa #fatherchristmas
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24 Comments
Sinterklaas still wins by a mile here in the Netherlands. The American style Santa is not very popular here, and is hardly seen in stores and advertisements. This video did give me a lot more information I never knew, even though I have read up on the topic a lot. Thanks for that!
One thing that is incorrect is in the end about Sinterklaas en Zwarte Piet being altered by the government. This is nonsense, because the government doesn’t control the Sinterklaas celebrations. In many parts mainly in rural areas Zwarte piet is still celebrated the ‘racist’ way, while in most larger cities the look and feel of ‘zwarte piet’ has changed.
One of the main tv programs that have a huge influence in this Sinterklaas celebration is called ‘het Sinterklaas Journaal’. Also the program that officially broadcasts the ‘intocht’ or entering into the country of Sinterklaas on his Steamboat. They completely changed the look and feel of ‘Piet’ who’s role already changed long ago anyway.
There is a lot more nuance surrounding this figure, and one problem I feel is, that the opponents of Zwarte Piet make a valid point, but go a bit too far in their communication. Saying that ‘Black Pete’ IS racism, makes it very hard for people to accept their fair criticism. Even though it indeed has many racist elements, the modern depiction of Zwarte Piet is not meant as a racist figure.
Black face is obvious coming from other countries were it had a significant cultural meaning. But now most Dutch (finally) agree that the black face element plus the hooped earrings and speaking like people from Suriname is going too far. It will take a long time before everyone is on the same level regarding this sensitive subject, but there has already been huge changes the past 10 years.
Maybe looks real but not a real person he should be why he would 9f ban marijuana and cannabis he doesnt like to see children sick why ?
Real truth depends how it is , there many differ part and what they say just like druids invovlement with supernatural things that people cant see but others thinks differ . Anyways if you hear the jingles of the rain deer flying in the sky around . But there is a real catch .. some say he disappears out of no where or see the santa flairs that he disappear some sort of door way that you never that person again , for those who believed in . Its not Christians or winter solstice its faith to believed in . But the rest you had to figure it out why it passes on differ people in line . Or depends if your gifted has well .
This Santa Claus was created by commer whichever its origin was. Saint Nicolás was real and was christian who gave away his wealth to the poor and to protect them as christianity preaches. Christians do keep remembering this saint and is the only they recognize related to Christmas giving away gifts. Plus christians celebrate the birth of Jesus and the fact that people from other religions and even pagans honoured baby Jesus as their God, thats what it is seen in the bible, thre magic kings came to worship Jesus, So thats Christmas about. However non christians have also adopted this festivity somehow but by seculararizing the festivity, thats the case of buying, and eating. But the true centre of Christmas for a christian is or shoould be Jesus. Nice video. Thanks for sharing.
Ight yall just keep going with the bs. It's simple Santa is a slave masters and Santa's helpers are slaves. The bastardized story in your gas lighting was simply medicine. A new God didn't just rise, your Papal Edicts stole the entire world and subjected the humans. Three kings are stars Jesus the Sun. You slaughtered us pagans, stole our history, told us we are white, Pope Boniface cut down our Oak and he told us the Fir was our holy tree. You needed a Male Bible God to erase the Matrilineal leaders and take their lands, create your fake kingdoms, and gaslight the masses. The Church Bells and slave bells all ringing to praise those brainwashed into creating genocide for your profits. "Schoorsteen Piet," the equally offensive cousin of the infamous "Zwarte Piet" (or "Black Pete") racist just as your Saint Nicholas is Pope Nicolas V because of Dum Diversas is a papal bull issued on 18 June 1452 by Pope Nicholas V. It authorized Afonso V of Portugal to conquer Saracens and pagans and consign them to "perpetual servitude". Read the entire papal bull. Noon bells papal bulls. #wakeup
If you are not going to tell the stories correctly to our history you want to erase FOFF.
Yo Church who made this garbage of half arsed stories to cover up Dum Diversas and Pope Nicolas V. PLANT AN OAK BURN A POPE.
Hate Santa. Christmas is about Jesus, not this stupid clown and reindeer .
Santa is pagan, all lies, crap
सनता क्लाउस सिर्फ़ विश्वभर में विराजमान ईसाई धर्म को मानने वाले व्यक्तियों के लिए वैश्विक चिन्ह हैं। आपसे विनती है कि सामान्यीकरण ना करें।
I'm from Poland.
Saint Nicholas Day, also called the Feast of Saint Nicholas, observed on 5 December or on 6 December in Western Christian countries, and on 19 December in Eastern Christian countries using the old church Calendar, is the feast day of Saint Nicholas of Myra; it falls within the season of Advent. It is celebrated as a Christian festival with particular regard to Saint Nicholas' reputation as a bringer of gifts, as well as through the attendance of church services.
In Poland and Ukraine children wait for St. Nicholas to come and to put a present under their pillows provided that the children were good during the year. Children who behaved badly may expect to find a twig or a piece of coal under their pillows. In the Netherlands and Belgium children put out a shoe filled with hay and a carrot for Saint Nicholas' horse.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Merry Christmas DW Documentary team!
@ 33:45 & THAT is when Christmas got OUT of HAND…
The big stores cashing in 4 nothing more than PROFIT… 🤔
Suban por favor este video en español por favor
An effigy burning in Dijon? Libtards sully everything they encounter. I hope they all succumb to their vaxxes so living in the world may become easier.
Wait, Santa Claus isn't about brain oil that flows down our spine and back up? Youtube's algorithm has brought me to some weird videos.
Vunter Slaush?
Who gives a 💩 Santa rocks
It would be fabulous to watch this in Spanish, DW! ¡Muchas gracias! 🙌🏾
Pure Marxism……….
Global icon…..😂😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣……he dosent exist but he is icon 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Not satisfied with hijacking the Pagan celebration of the changing season, to become "the birth of christ", christianity tried to hide all the other celebrations… of which Santa Claus was one.
Christian a pagan religion
Splendid.
The document provides a neat and compelling narrative that reflects how Europe changed in the past three to two thousand years. The gift-giving figure originated from some figures of Nordic and Roman mythologies, then was baptized by the Church, purged by Protestants (and most especially by its most extreme elements), given a new life by Americans (who — through the cogs of capitalism –exported it back to Europe) and in the chaos that was the 20th century was appropriated by nefarious regimes to demonstrate their power to form minds. Now, as capitalism reigns supreme, the adults still keep the myth alive regardless of the ever-present qualms on the consumerism that this figure represents and their annual search for the spirit of Christmas.
Some things to note, tho:
1. Christmas is an ancient celebration but Easter and the Annunciation is much older. In fact, early Christians even thought that Jesus died on the day He was conceived. Eventually, early Christians settled on 25 March (in the then Julian calendar, of course) as the day on what they think is the original day of his death and hence became the feast of the Annunciation. Count 9 months and you arrive in 25 December which is indeed around the time of winter solstice celebrations in the Roman Empire. Those celebrations happen as a season, not a single day. Despite the origin of Christmas, Christians still saw it as an the opportunity for evangelization (e.g., Jesus as the Sun of Righteousness and the gradual increase of daytime after the winter solstice) when Constantine legalized Christianity. Also, Christmas predates the Edict of Milan.
2. Christmas will only rise to the prominence it enjoys (that rivals even the most important Christian day, which is the Pasch or Easter) in the last three hundred years only, although the Advent season, also of very old vintage, does suggest the importance Christians give to the celebration. It is in fact most similar to the Lenten season. Both are time for repentance and preparation: one for Christmas and one for Easter. That Christians prepare to that extent for Christmas already says something about the celebration.
3. I find it lamentable that the story of St. Nicholas of Myra slapping Arius (yes, that Arius) in Nicaea is not mentioned when the St. Nicholas as a disciplinarian is being discussed.
4. In the time of Constantine the Great, there was no Roman Catholic Church. It is a very anachronistic term, which was first employed by Anglicans who want to show that they are Catholic but not "Romish". The misuse of the term also makes us forget that the East (i.e., the Eastern Roman Empire) existed and that they are part of the Christmas (and Christian) story. St. Nicholas is from Asia Minor, and that's part of the East.
So violent night has some origin to it