Some visitors get confused, and I can understand them. When
they’re walking around in Bruges, they go in the chocolate shops and see two
different Santa’s standing.
When asking what’s that all about, they get the reply that
there is “Sinterklaas” and “Santa Claus”. But, wait a minute… If you translate
Sinterklaas, that IS Santa Claus… What the hell??
In Belgium and the Netherlands (generally the former Dutch
colonies) we have two “Santa’s”. The first is Sinterklaas (as we call him) and
that’s celebrated on December 6th. Where the heck did he come from?
Well, somewhere in the 2nd - 3rd
century there was a Bisshop Nicolaas of Myra who lived in Turkey (the country,
not the bird…) and died on… December 6th 342. Due to some legends,
he became patron for children. Legends were of 3 schoolchildren beaten to death
by an innkeeper but revived by St Nicolaas, 3 poor daughters who could still
get married thanks to the gifts given by St Nicolaas or the legend of a child
being put in a bath by St Nicolaas to protect him from a fire.
You may notice that “Sinterklaas” is kinda sounding like
Saint Nicolaas but it’s not exactly the same. The aggregation happened
somewhere in the late 1200’s. Since then he was considered the big friend for
all children, giving out candy and presents. During the history his role
changed to a bogeyman who rewarded the good children, but punished the bad by
putting them in a bag.
In the 1700’s it was changed back to the good man we know today, using the bag
for putting the presents in, not kids…
So he changed from patron for children, to a bogeyman,
strict pedagogue into the folkloric friend for all children we have today.
Santa Claus comes from Saint Nicolaas. Remember there where
a lot of Dutch when the new colonies were started? Well, in time the name
changed and with the reformation and contra reformation a lot changed.
Protestants banned the feast of St Nicolaas. But it was so popular with the
common people it didn’t completely disappear. It transformed.
The first drawing of the Santa Claus we know today is from
Thomas Nast in 1881. I added a picture of it below.
The American Santa Claus is probably a mix of Father Christmas and Saint
Nicolaas.
So don’t go saying Santa Claus to Saint Nicolaas in Belgium,
it is totally different.
Saint Nicolaas rides a horse, accompagnied by his helpers
(Zwarte Pieten). Santa Claus has his sleigh with the reindeers and is helped by
his elves. Common is the mistake people say Saint Nicolaas lives in Spain, but
he only travels to Spain to get the gifts and sweets. Santa Claus lives on the
North Pole.
I’d like to finish with a poem… Yes I know, it’s not my
habit in doing this, but it’s such a known, and nice poem. In 1823 an unknown
author published A visit from St Nicholas. Enjoy !
'Twas
the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not
a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The
stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In
hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The
children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While
visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And
mamma in her ’kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had
just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap,
When
out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I
sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away
to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore
open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The
moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave
the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When,
what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But
a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With
a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I
knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More
rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And
he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
"Now,
Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On,
Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To
the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now
dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As
dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When
they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So
up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With
the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And
then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The
prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As
I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down
the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He
was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And
his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A
bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And
he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.
His
eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His
cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His
droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow
And
the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The
stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And
the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He
had a broad face and a little round belly,
That
shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.
He
was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And
I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A
wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon
gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He
spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And
filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And
laying his finger aside of his nose,
And
giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He
sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And
away they all flew like the down of a thistle,
But
I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy
Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."