Where did Santa Claus come from? How old is Santa Claus? The history of the appearance of Santa Claus

We are already so used to such signs of New Year's holidays as the Christmas tree, garlands, salad olivier, etc., that we almost do not think about how they became traditional. But we often answer the question of our children about the origin of Father Frost. Today we will talk about this. So…

The history of Santa Claus

The image of Santa Claus - a handsome good-natured old man with a long, lush beard, with a staff in his hand and a bag of gifts - is now familiar to every child and adult. He comes to the New Year, congratulates, wishes happiness and gives all. It is not surprising that his appearances are especially expected on children's matinees.

The history of the appearance of Santa Claus begins with the depth of centuries, with the mythology of the ancient Slavs. But the one who thinks that he was originally a kind sorcerer, bringing joy, is mistaken. Quite the contrary. Slavic predecessor of Santa Claus - Snow Grandfather, Karachun, Studenets, Treskun, Zimnik, Morozko - was stern, trying to freeze those who meet on the way. And the attitude towards the children was peculiar - carried away in a bag ... He did not give out gifts, and he had to be pampered to avoid trouble. That's where the fun left - to sculpt snowmen. In fact, for our ancestors it was idols, depicting the god of winter. With the advent of Christianity, this peculiar spirit of Winter was preserved in folk tales.

Only in the 19th century, Morozko, Moroz Ivanovich and other characters of fairy tales began to appear to be strict, but just beings. Kindness and diligence were rewarded, and laziness and anger were punished. The Tale of Odoevsky about Moroz Ivanovich - that's where Santa Claus appeared!

Christmas Santa Claus

In the 80 years of the 19th century, with the Christmas holiday, following the example of European countries, a person called Christmas Grandfather (or Svyatochny Grandfather) began to associate. Here he already brought gifts to reward children for good behavior during the year. But, unlike Santa Claus, he was not a saint and had nothing to do with religion at all. And in the countryside did not notice his appearance at all and continued to celebrate the Holy evenings, as before - with fortune-telling and carols.

But to the general public Father Frost became familiar from 1910. And helped in this Christmas cards. First he was painted in a blue or white fur coat to the heels, under the color of the winter itself. A hat of the same color was depicted on the head, also Grandfather wore warm felt boots and mittens. Indispensable attributes were a magic staff and a bag with gifts.

The history of Santa Claus in the Soviet era

After coming to power, the Bolsheviks began a struggle against "religious rubbish". In 1929, the celebration of Christmas as a religious holiday was banned. It is clear that Santa Claus and the Christmas tree also fell into disfavor. Even fairy tales were deemed a fraud, designed to cloud the heads of the masses.

And only in 1935, with the submission of Stalin issued a decree of the Komsomol on the celebration of the New Year. It was prescribed to organize Christmas trees for children instead of pre-revolutionary Christmas trees. It was noted that this was a wonderful amusement for the children of workers and peasants, who previously could only enviously look at the entertainment of the offspring of the rich.

The symbolism of the tree has also changed. It was a secular and not a religious holiday. Instead of the Star of Bethlehem, a red five-pointed star appeared on top of the forest beauty . Father Frost remained the same kind grandfather, bringing gifts. He traveled on the Russian troika, accompanied by his beloved granddaughter Snegurochka.

How Santa Claus became a grandfather

So, we figured out where Santa Claus appeared. The Snow Maiden appeared next to him much later. In Old Slavonic folklore there is no indication of the companion of our Grandfather.

The image of the Snow Maiden was invented by writer A. Ostrovsky. In his tale she was the daughter of Santa Claus, who came to people, attracted by music. After the appearance of the opera by NA Rimsky-Korsakov, the Snow Maiden became very popular. Sometimes she appeared on the Christmas trees, but in itself, without Santa Claus.

In 1937 at the Yolka in the Moscow House of Unions for the first time Snow Maiden performed with her Grandfather. Turning her from her daughter to her granddaughter happened because a cheerful girl or a very young girl was closer to the children for whom the feast was held.

Since then, the Snow Maiden accompanies Santa Claus on any New Year's holiday, most often she is his leader. True, after Gagarin's flight, sometimes on Yolka instead of Snow Maiden there appeared ... an astronaut.

Assistants to Santa Claus

The history of the appearance of Santa Claus has recently been supplemented with new pages. In addition to the Snow Maiden, new fairy-tale heroes take part in the good New Year's magic. For example, Snowman, appeared in the tales of a wonderful children's writer and multiplier Suteev. He then goes to the woods for a Christmas tree for a holiday, then drives a car with gifts. Forest animals in the majority help Grandfather, and some sometimes try to prevent the New Year holidays. Often in the scenarios there are Old-Lesovichki, Brothers-Months ...

Where Santa Claus appeared, he moved on foot or on the wings of a snowstorm. Subsequently, he began to represent the dashing Russian troika. And now in Veliky Ustyug there are also reindeer - a real winter mode of transport. Nor can the wisest wizard of the country, whose possessions extend to the North Pole, lag behind Santa Claus!

When was Santa Claus born?

Curious children want to find out how old Santa Claus is. Despite the ancient Slavic roots, Grandpa is still quite young. It can be considered the moment of his birth the appearance of the tale "Moroz Ivanovich" by Odoevsky (1840). It is in it for the first time that a kind old man appears who gives a diligent girl and punishes a lazy girl. According to this version, Grandfather is 174 years old.

But in the above-mentioned fairy tale, Frost does not come to anyone, he does not give gifts in connection with the holiday. All this will be much later, towards the end of the 19th century. If we count from now on, Santa Claus is not even 150 years old.

If you consider the date of his birth in 1935, when the New Year's Christmas trees began to be held again, then Grandfather will have a modest jubilee - he will turn 80 years old.

When is Father Frost's Birthday?

This is another question that children are puzzling us about. After all, they, who received gifts for the New Year, often want to thank the good old man. This question can be answered quite accurately - on November 18. After all, the children themselves decided this, choosing as their birthday the day of the onset of winter in the homeland of Father Frost. This happened in 2005.

And now every year on this day a big holiday is held, to which his colleagues come. This is Santa Claus from the real Lapland, Pakkaine from Karelia, Mikulash from the Czech Republic and even Chishan from Yakutia ... Every year the scope of the celebration is expanding, more and more new guests are coming. But most importantly, from his homeland, from Kostroma, the Snow Maiden hurries to congratulate Grandfather.

To celebrate, guests from other cities are invited. These are the deputies of Father Frost, who will come to the children on New Year's Day, and fairytale characters-assistants. All of them are waiting for fun activities. And in the evening Santa Claus lights up the lights on the very first Christmas tree and announces the beginning of preparations for the New Year. After that, he and his assistants go on a trip around the country to have time to congratulate all its residents.

In March, Father Frost gives his Spring-Krasne watch and returns to his house. In public until the next birthday, he will appear again - in the summer, on City Day. Both holidays include folk festivities, an extensive program of events telling about the Russian North, including excursions to the patrimony of Father Frost.

And let's not say for sure how many years old Santa Claus, but congratulate him, write a letter with kind wishes is quite possible.

Where should i write?

Where can Santa Claus live? At the North Pole? Or in Lapland, next to Santa Claus? Maybe, in the well, as in the tale "Moroz Ivanovich"?

The address of Santa Claus is known to many very well. His residence is located in the city of Veliky Ustyug, in the Vologda region. There is a magnificent tower built for him, his mail works. Father Frost even received a passport from the hands of the governor of the Vologda region. And on the children's question "where did Santa Claus come from," you can safely answer: from Veliky Ustyug.

If your child wants to write a letter, congratulate a good old man on his birthday, make a wish for the New Year, do not get scared and do not get lost, because it's easy. Record the address of Santa Claus: 162390, Russia, Vologda region, the city of Veliky Ustyug. Mail of Santa Claus.