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Holiday Article - Christmas
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Holiday Article - Christmas
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Just Who Are Santa Claus And Rudolph?
 Every year just around Thanksgiving time, a cast of jolly characters arrives on the scene. Santa Claus and Rudolph always take top billing. But, just who are these guys and where did they come from?
Santa Claus himself has been around for practically eons. The legend of a gift-giving saint is found throughout European lore. Kris Kringle and Saint Nicholas the gift-giver are figures that date hundreds of years into the past. Stories of these two and other similar characters are found throughout history.
The modern red-and-white clad Santa, however, is a relatively new creation. The figure has evolved through time, slowly building on the Kris Kringle and St. Nick stories of the past.
The evolution of the modern Santa Claus is often credited to the Coca-Cola company. Although Coke no doubt helped cement the image of a round, old man with a red suit into the minds of Americans, the company was not the first to present this image of St. Nick. Actual images of Santa in his more modern form began to appear in the late 1800s through Harper's Weekly drawings. Coca-Cola's Santa didn't arrive on the scene until the 1930s.
While the modern image of Santa is an evolution over time, there is no denying the hold this figure now has on the holidays. From street corner to street corner, the spirit of the season is embodied in images of the "jolly old elf." Santa represents the magic of the season; it's charity and giving.
The legend of Rudolph isn't quite as old as Santa's story. The little reindeer with the funny nose arrived as part of holiday lore in the late 1930s when Montgomery Ward wanted an original story and coloring book to give out to its shoppers. Copywriter Robert May created Rudolph and the compelling story stuck in a very big way. Rudolph represents the underdog and the can-do spirit that Americans adore.
Neither Santa nor Rudolph directly link to the original Christmas. What they both do, however, is add to the magic and wonder of the season. Through their stories, children of all ages learn more about the spirit of giving and love that is the real meaning of Christmas.
RING EACH OTHER'S BELLS THIS CHRISTMAS!
Romeo
Our Feature Writer
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