Have you ever wondered about the origins of Santa Claus? Father Winter? St. Nick? How about how Santa is portrayed now vs. how he was portrayed in the 1800s? Feel free to take a gander at the Pop Culture Database, which is available through the TCCL website: tulsalibrary.org under the Research tab.
There are mentions of St. Nick back in 1822 in a well-known poem: "The Night Before Christmas." Notable Santa mentions in the early 20th Century include a 1910 photo of Santa where he looks pretty harried in the toy workshop making sure all the toys are made in time for Christmas, and a 1913 cartoon of Santa in a department store that is crowded with holiday shoppers. However, he really comes into his own as a cultural icon in the 1947 version of "Miracle on 34th Street." Post-WWII era is significant for Santa because America was more prosperous after the Great Depression and WWII and many Americans were ready to embrace the magical idea of Santa, who can fly, use chimneys to get into houses, has a naught and a nice list, and can speak to all children, regardless of the language.
The 60s ushered in a time where beloved Christmas specials such as Charlie Brown Christmas, the Grinch Who Stole Christmas, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer were created and are still watched every year by millions of families, sometimes multiple times.
This magical, mystical, wonderful idea of Santa continues to current day, where Santa is featured on billboards, in parades across the country, on cards, TV, movies, music, and more, though there are many cultural references that feature a Santa who is not what many parents would consider appropriate for children to watch.
What's your favorite family-friendly movie or TV show featuring Santa Claus? We have Christmas QuickPicks available at many branches if you want to visit your local TCCL branch to pick one up without the wait!
- Melody Palmer, Youth Librarian, South Broken Arrow Library
Pictured: Santa at a Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in 2011. Courtesy of Pop Culture database.