Santa Claus

Santa & Helpers

I remember not being able to sleep for pure excitement. One night in the year (didn´t time go slow when we were kids) where dreams & reality merged... simply magical!. This Lens is all about Father Christmas, his role at Christmas & what makes him and his Helpers so special.

I had fun finding out the truth about Santa & although Im old enough to know the truth, I still find myself, shortly before Christmas.. believing.

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Who is Santa ?

Who is Santa ?

First the hard facts

The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to the those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.

Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, was exiled and imprisoned. The prisons were so full of bishops, priests, and deacons, there was no room for the real criminals-murderers, thieves and robbers. After his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. He died December 6, AD 343 in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church, where a unique relic, called manna, formed in his grave. This liquid substance, said to have healing powers, fostered the growth of devotion to Nicholas. The anniversary of his death became a day of celebration, St. Nicholas Day.

Through the centuries many stories and legends have been told of St. Nicholas' life and deeds. These accounts help us understand his extraordinary character and why he is so beloved and revered as protector and helper of those in need.

The jolly elf image received a big boost in 1823, from a poem destined to become immensely popular, "A Visit from St. Nicholas," now better known as "The Night Before Christmas."

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 peddler 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. . . .

If we should wake on the sixth of December and find our stockings full of candy and toys we should think that the old fellow who comes down the chimney has lost his wits and arrived about three weeks too soon. But his arrival would seem exactly on time to children in other parts of the world. For the feast of Saint Nicholas is the sixth of December, and how he became the patron saint of the day of the Saint of saints, the Christ - Child, is a story.

It is the story of a story. And when we say that it is true we shall remember that truth lives in the region of dreams. We shall be true to a glorious legend and to the way that legend has come down to us. Truth here consists in knowing that Santa Claus does come down the chimney and fills our stockings. If we do not believe that truth, we are lost souls and beauty and poetry, the only real truth, means nothing.

(Xmas is December 25, 2008)

Santas Helpers

Mrs Claus, Elves, Rudolph & the Reindeer

Father Christmas would never be able to cope with the massive task of making presents alone... When I think of the Logistics involved in distributing millions of Pressies in ONE night Phewwww

No obviously he´s not alone & as with all Great men, there is usually a Great woman in the background holding the Reins.. In this case, Mrs Claus.

Elves make the Presents & Rudolph (Red Nose) & Crew transport Santa around the Globe.

Santa Poll

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Santa, Swiety Mikolaj, Papai Noel

Okay, how do we say Santa in.......

Belgium: Pere Noel

Brazil: Papai Noel

Chile: Viejo Pascuero ("Old Man Christmas")

China: Dun Che Lao Ren ("Christmas Old Man")

Netherlands: Kerstman

Finland: Joulupukki

France: Pere Noel

Germany: Weihnachtsmann ("Christmas Man")

Hawaii: Kanakaloka

Hungary: Mikulas (St. Nicholas)

Italy: Babbo Natale

Japan: Hoteiosho (a god or priest who bears gifts)

Norway: Julenissen ("Christmas gnome")

Poland: Swiety Mikolaj (St. Nicholas)

Russia: Ded Moroz ("Grandfather Frost")

Sweden: Jultomten ("Christmas brownie")

United Kingdom / USA: Father Christmas, Santa Claus

Santa at Flickr

I love some of the old pictures of Santa

Alice`s garden

Santa Barbara dalla...

Grandi magazzini

Solvang

Patriottismo america...

Campagna della Calif...

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Santa comes down the Chimney

Hmmmm does he really? I think not. Many years ago, when almost everybody had Chimneys, this might have been the case... But now?? What do you think?

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Father Christmas prints

Whether you need a Bumper sticker for your Car or a T Shirt showing everyone the Christmas spirit is in you... You should be able to find it here :)

Does Father Christmas really exist ?

For anyone with any doubt left in their hearts

In 1897, 8-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of the New York Sun, asking if there really was a Santa Claus. Francis Church's response has become one of the most widely-read editorials of all time.

Little Virginia wrote:

Dear Editor- I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, "If you see it in The Sun, it's so." Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?

Virginia O'Hanlon

The New York Sun editor, Francis Church, responded:

Virginia,

Your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished. Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world. You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
Francis P. Church's editorial,

Santa Suits

Need to get dressed up for Christmas ? Here�s your chance to put a smile & embed a memory.. your kids will never forget.

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Christmas songs to test your Noel vocal chords

Are you in the singing mood ?

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth
Angels From The Realms Of Glory
Away In The Manger
Deck the halls
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Jolly Old Saint Nicolas

Father Christmas

Santa Claus is coming to Town & in front of the Camera :)

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Santa Claus and 74 million children in the US

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Greg Lake - I Believe In Father Christmas

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Father Christmas part 1

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There´s nothing like watching an old Christmas Film shortly before Xmas... certainly moves me.

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Santa & Helpers

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