Editing Father Christmas (section)

== Personality ==

* '''Jolly and Cheerful''': Father Christmas radiates joy and laughter, often portrayed as hearty and boisterous, spreading cheer to all he encounters.
* '''Generous''': He embodies the spirit of giving, symbolized by his delivery of gifts to children and his overall role as a figure of abundance.
* '''Wise and Kind''': He is often depicted as patient and understanding, representing the values of compassion and goodwill.
* '''Traditional and Mystical''': Older depictions of Father Christmas align him with folklore and nature, emphasizing his connection to the seasonal festivities and a sense of timeless wisdom.

These characteristics make Father Christmas a cherished symbol of the holiday season, blending the warmth of familial traditions with the magic of childhood wonder.

=== Early midwinter celebrations ===
The tradition of feasting and merrymaking at Christmastide first appears in the historical record during the High Middle Ages (c. 1100–1300). This likely represents a continuation of pre-Christian midwinter festivities in Britain, although, as historian Ronald Hutton noted, "we have no details at all" about these earlier celebrations. Personifications of Christmas emerged later, reflecting the customs already established.

==== 15th century—the first English personifications of Christmas ====
The earliest known English personifications of Christmas were linked to merrymaking, singing, and drinking. A carol attributed to Richard Smart, Rector of Plymtree in Devon (1435–1477), features 'Sir Christemas' announcing Christ's birth and encouraging revelry:

''"Buvez bien par toute la compagnie,''

''Make good cheer and be right merry,''

''And sing with us now joyfully: Nowell, nowell."''

During the Late Middle Ages, many Christmas customs blended sacred and secular themes. In Norwich in January 1443, a traditional battle between Christmas (symbolizing the flesh) and Lent (representing the spirit) featured John Gladman, crowned as 'King of Christmas,' parading on a horse decorated with tinfoil.

=== 16th century—feasting, entertainment, and music ===
By the 11th century, the term 'Yule' was largely replaced by 'Christmas' in most of England, although it persisted in some dialects. The City of York celebrated an annual St. Thomas's Day tradition known as ''The Riding of Yule and his Wife,'' involving a figure representing Yule carrying bread and lamb. However, in 1572, Archbishop of York Edmund Grindal suppressed the tradition, criticizing its "undecent and uncomely disguising," which distracted people from attending church services.

Personifications of Christmas during the Tudor and Stuart periods often presided over festivities as symbolic figures like 'Captain Christmas,' 'Prince Christmas,' or 'The Christmas Lord.' These characters were common in grand houses, universities, and Inns of Court, exemplifying the medieval love for pageantry and allegory.

In Thomas Nashe's allegorical play ''Summer's Last Will and Testament'' (c. 1592), a miserly Christmas character appears for comic effect, refusing to keep the traditional feast. He is chastised by Summer, who reminds him of his traditional role:

''"Christmas, how chance thou com’st not as the rest,''

''Accompanied with some music, or some song?''

''A merry carol would have graced thee well;''

''Thy ancestors have used it heretofore."''

=== 17th century—religion and politics ===

==== Puritan criticisms ====
In the early 17th century, writers used personification and allegory to defend Christmas against the attacks of radical Protestants. These criticisms arose from concerns over the perceived decline in Christmas hospitality provided by the gentry. In his 1616 ''Christmas, His Masque,'' Ben Jonson portrayed Old Christmas as an outdated figure:

''"attir'd in round Hose, long Stockings, a close Doublet, a high crownd Hat with a Broach, a long thin beard, a Truncheon, little Ruffes, white shoes, his Scarffes, and Garters tyed crosse."''

Old Christmas, accompanied by guards, protested against his exclusion:

''"Why Gentlemen, doe you know what you doe? ha! would you ha'kept me out? Christmas, old Christmas? Christmas of London, and Captaine Christmas? ... they would not let me in: I must come another time! ... I am old Gregorie Christmas still, and though I come out of Popes-head-alley as good a Protestant, as any i'my Parish."''

Similarly, Thomas Nabbes’ 1638 court masque ''The Springs Glorie'' featured Christmas as "an old reverend Gentleman in a furr'd gown and cappe." In this allegory, Christmas disputes precedence with Shrovetide, declaring his role as "the King of good cheere and feasting." These representations of Christmas personifications laid the groundwork for later depictions of Father Christmas.

==== Puritan revolution and the emergence of Father Christmas ====
The rise of Puritanism brought accusations of popery against pre-Reformation Christmas traditions. When the Puritans took control of England's government in the mid-1640s, they sought to abolish Christmas entirely. From 1644 to 1660, during the Interregnum, celebrating Christmas was outlawed. Parliament’s 1647 ''Ordinance for Abolishing of Festivals'' formally banned Christmas, Easter, and Whitsun.

Royalist pamphleteers responded by connecting traditional Christmas customs with the monarchy and the Church of England, portraying Christmas as a nostalgic symbol of feasting and festivity. In their hands, Old Father Christmas became a lamenting figure mourning the loss of "the good old days."

One such example, ''The Arraignment, Conviction and Imprisoning of Christmas'' (1646), presented a Royalist gentlewoman seeking Old Father Christmas. The author, a parliamentarian, described him critically:

''"For age, this hoarie headed man was of great yeares, and as white as snow; he entred the Romish Kallender time out of mind ... he was full and fat as any dumb Docter ... but, since the catholike liquor is taken from him, he is much wasted."''

Despite these Puritan efforts, Father Christmas endured, evolving into a symbol of defiance against Christmas suppression. By the Restoration in 1660, he had solidified his role as a personification of festive cheer, paving the way for his later development into the figure synonymous with holiday merriment.

=== 17th century—Father Christmas speaks ===
In the aftermath of the English Civil War, Father Christmas gained prominence in satirical and allegorical literature. In John Taylor's 1652 pamphlet, ''The Vindication of Christmas'', Father Christmas is depicted as an old, bearded man dressed in a brimmed hat, an open robe, and undersleeves. He laments his misfortune in arriving in a "headlesse countrey" (a reference to the execution of Charles I). Despite hardships, he remains defiant:

''"But welcome or not welcome, I am come...."''

The pamphlet concludes with Father Christmas encouraging celebration:

''"Lets dance and sing, and make good chear, / For Christmas comes but once a year."''

In 1658, Josiah King's ''The Examination and Tryall of Old Father Christmas'' introduced the term 'Father Christmas,' portraying him as a white-haired old man on trial during the Commonwealth period. Defended by his counsel against accusations of promoting excess, Father Christmas was acquitted, symbolizing resistance to the Puritan suppression of festivities.

==== Restoration revival ====
Following the 1660 Restoration of the monarchy, Christmas traditions, including Father Christmas, were revived. Josiah King's reissued pamphlet in 1678 described a rejuvenated Father Christmas, emphasizing his cheerful and benevolent appearance:

''"His cherry cheeks appeared through his thin milk white locks, like blushing Roses vail'd with snow white Tiffany ... the true Emblem of Joy and Innocence."''

Samuel Pepys collected the ballad ''Old Christmass Returnd,'' celebrating the revival of feasting:

''"Old Christmass is come for to keep open house / He scorns to be guilty of starving a mouse, / Then come boyes and welcome, for dyet the chief / Plumb pudding, Goose, Capon, minc't pies & Roast beef."''

==== 18th century—low profile ====
Father Christmas's presence waned in the 18th century as interest in Christmas customs diminished. While he remained a symbolic figure of festive cheer, earlier associations with misrule disappeared. Plays and pamphlets, such as ''The Country Squire'' (1732) and ''Round About Our Coal Fire'' (1734), lamented the decline of hospitality and celebration, contrasting the past generosity of "Squire Christmas" with contemporary stinginess.

David Garrick’s 1774 production of ''A Christmas Tale'' featured a personified Christmas lamenting his diminished status:

''"I, English hearts rejoic'd in days of yore; / for new strange modes, imported by the score, / You will not sure turn Christmas out of door!"''

==== Father Christmas in folk plays ====
By the late 18th century, Father Christmas became a central figure in folk plays, particularly the mummers plays of Southern England and Wales. In these plays, he delivered ritual opening speeches reminiscent of Taylor's 1652 work:

''"Here comes I, old Father Christmas, welcome or welcome not, / I hope old Father Christmas will never be forgot. / Old Father Christmas appear[s] but once a year, / He looks like an old man of fourscore year."''

These performances cemented Father Christmas’s role as a traditional figure of festive merriment, bridging the 17th-century allegories with the growing folkloric traditions.

=== 19th century—revival ===
The Victorian period brought a revival of Christmas traditions, including the figure of Father Christmas as a symbol of festive cheer. Unlike the 17th-century depictions, his appearance became more varied, and he was not always the old, bearded figure.

'Merry England' and the romanticized past

Walter Scott's 1808 poem ''Marmion'' nostalgically linked Christmas to the Golden Age of "Merry England," a time idealized for its universal hospitality and charity:

''"England was merry England, when / Old Christmas brought his sports again.''

''<nowiki/>'Twas Christmas broach'd the mightiest ale; / 'Twas Christmas told the merriest tale;''

''A Christmas gambol oft could cheer / The poor man's heart through half the year."''

This romantic view inspired writers like Thomas Hervey, whose 1836 ''The Book of Christmas'' encapsulated the "Merry England" ideal. Hervey portrayed Old Father Christmas as a holly-crowned, fur-gowned figure riding a yule goat, accompanied by a lively "family" of allegorical characters such as Roast Beef, Plum Pudding, Wassail, and Mumming. His imagery reflected the joyous spirit of communal celebration and generosity.

Hervey lamented the diminishing "uproarious merriment" of Christmas and called on readers to restore the "ancient honors" of Old Father Christmas and his companions.

==== Father Christmas in Victorian art and media ====
Father Christmas became a regular feature in the illustrated magazines of the 1840s, often depicted as a jolly, bearded man surrounded by abundant food and drink. Holly wreaths frequently adorned his head, a motif popularized in publications like the ''Illustrated London News''. These visual representations solidified his image as the embodiment of festive cheer and plenty, bridging the traditions of the past with the evolving celebration of Christmas in Victorian England.

Charles Dickens's 1843 novel ''A Christmas Carol'' had a profound impact, credited with reviving interest in Christmas in England and shaping its modern themes. One notable image from the novel is John Leech's illustration of the "[[Ghost of Christmas Present]]," depicted wearing a holly wreath and dressed in a traditional loose furred green gown. While not explicitly called Father Christmas, the character evokes his imagery with a focus on feasting and merriment.

=== 19th Century ===
Throughout the 19th century, Father Christmas featured prominently in mummers' plays, with his appearance varying by local tradition. In some portrayals, he was a hunchback; in others, such as those recorded by William Sandys, he appeared as a grotesque old man with a mask, wig, and a club, reflecting regional influences. For example, in Worcestershire in 1856, Father Christmas was equated with the northern character Beelzebub. Plays often emphasized symbolic elements, such as holly boughs and wassail bowls, with Father Christmas evolving over time. By the late 19th century, these folk plays had largely disappeared, taking much of their influence on Father Christmas with them.

Father Christmas's association with gift-giving began in the Victorian era as Christmas transitioned into a family-oriented celebration centered on children. Initially connected with adult festivities, his role expanded to include leaving presents, influenced by the rise of the American Santa Claus. The Cornish Quaker diarist Barclay Fox documented a family gathering in 1842 featuring an effigy of Father Christmas adorned with presents. By 1895, the first evidence of children writing letters to Father Christmas had appeared in Britain.

The American Santa Claus, inspired by Dutch St. Nicholas traditions, began influencing English customs in the 19th century. Santa Claus was popularized through works such as the 1821 poem ''Old Santeclaus with Much Delight'' and Clement Clarke Moore’s 1823 ''A Visit from St. Nicholas''. By the mid-century, the character was well-established in the United States, eventually crossing the Atlantic. Early mentions of Santa Claus in Britain appeared in the 1850s, with children hanging stockings or placing shoes by the fireplace for gifts.

The merging of Father Christmas with Santa Claus occurred gradually. Father Christmas adopted Santa’s attributes, such as delivering gifts on Christmas Eve. By the late 19th century, he was often depicted wearing a hooded robe, though he retained traditional elements like holly. Public celebrations, Christmas cards, and retail displays helped assimilate the characters. The first Christmas grotto appeared in a London store in 1888, solidifying the figure's association with gift-giving.

By the 1880s, the American myth of Santa Claus as a nocturnal visitor became well-established in England, blending with Father Christmas. Stories and poems often used the names interchangeably, with Santa Claus depicted as descending the chimney to leave gifts. Commercial items like Tom Smith & Co.'s Santa Claus Surprise Stockings, introduced in 1895, underscored the character's widespread popularity.

Representations of Father Christmas and Santa Claus during this time often merged, though some depictions retained older associations with charity and feasting. The modern figure embodies both traditions, reflecting the fusion of American and British cultural influences.

=== 20th Century ===
Any lingering distinctions between Father Christmas and Santa Claus largely disappeared in the early 20th century. By 1915, it was reported, “The majority of children today…do not know of any difference between our old Father Christmas and the comparatively new Santa Claus, as, by both wearing the same garb, they have effected a happy compromise.”

It took years for authors and illustrators to standardize Father Christmas’s costume as red, although red was always the most common color. Variations in brown, green, blue, or white gowns occasionally appeared. The widespread acceptance of the red outfit followed Coca-Cola’s 1931 advertising campaign, which popularized the image.

For much of the 20th century, Father Christmas was depicted as described in the ''Oxford English Dictionary'': "the personification of Christmas as a benevolent old man with a flowing white beard, wearing a red-sleeved gown and hood trimmed with white fur, and carrying a sack of Christmas presents." This description is exemplified in a 1919 ''Punch'' cartoon, which shows a humorous exchange:

Uncle James (disguised as Father Christmas): "Well, my little man, and do you know who I am?"

The Little Man: "No, as a matter of fact, I don't. But Father's downstairs; perhaps he may be able to tell you."

In 1951, ''The Times'' editorialized that while most adults believed Father Christmas to be a quintessentially English figure—“a good insular John Bull old gentleman”—many children, captivated by the romanticized image of sledges and reindeer, wrote letters to “Father Christmas” in Norway or referred to him as Santa Claus, giving him a foreign flair.

By 1985, ''The Illustrated London News'' discussed differences between English and American portrayals. The U.S. depiction, based on Thomas Nast’s illustrations, was seen as the “authorized” version of Santa Claus, while Britain maintained its preference for Father Christmas, depicted in a long robe, full beard, and boots resembling Wellingtons.

Father Christmas featured prominently in 20th-century literature, such as J.R.R. Tolkien’s ''Father Christmas Letters'' (written between 1920 and 1942, published in 1976), C.S. Lewis’s ''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'' (1950), and Raymond Briggs’s ''Father Christmas'' (1973) and its sequel, ''Father Christmas Goes on Holiday'' (1975). He also appeared in popular songs, including Greg Lake’s “I Believe in Father Christmas” (1974) and The Kinks’ “Father Christmas” (1977). Briggs’s books were adapted into a 1991 animated short film, ''Father Christmas'', with Mel Smith voicing the titular character.

=== 21st Century ===
In the 21st century, Father Christmas and Santa Claus are widely regarded as synonymous. Modern dictionaries treat the names as interchangeable, though some still prefer the term "Father Christmas" for its traditional British association. ''Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable'' (19th edition, 2012) notes that Father Christmas carries a “somewhat socially superior cachet” and is preferred by certain advertisers.
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