Here Comes Santa Claus

Today is Christmas Eve, the big guy has done his prep work, the Naughty and Nice list has been checked twice and the sleigh is being loaded up for his annual trip around the world.

 

The story of Santa Claus is based on the Christian Saint Nicholas, who died in 343 AD. He was known to help children and their families, so he became a patron Saint of children. In the last 1,670 years his story has evolved and his appearance has changed. He is no longer seen as the Bishop of Myra but now a jolly old elf who laughs of in spite of himself.

 

Around the 1200s he became the “gift giver”, he then began to take on a more fictional-like appearance, larger than life and the long white beard. The Germans visualized a character with a red, fur-lined suit (though evil). In the 1800s he evolved even further to the point where we begin to recognize the Santa we all know now. The caricaturist Thomas Nast is credited with introducing the modern Santa in the late 1800s.

 

Santa Claus, while based on a real person, has become so mythical in stature that there is no single accurate description. Because of this I decided to sit down and take a look at some of my favorite popular culture depictions of Santa Claus, both good and bad.

 

 

Jolly St. Nick

5- The Grinch Santa (After his heart grew)

4- Rankin Bass Santa Claus

3-Tim Allen in the Santa Clause

 

2-Norman Rockwell Santa Claus (The Coca Cola version too)

1-Edmund Gween in the Miracle on 34^th Street (1947 version)

 

 

 

 

Evil Bastard Santa

5-Robber Santa in Friday After Next

4- Billy Bob Thorton in Bad Santa

 

3- The Grinch Santa

2- Santa’s Helpers (Export Santa) in Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale

1- Robot Santa Claus in Futurama

 

 

Dis-Honorable Mention

Greenpeace Santa