Santa Carving History

The history of Santa carving is relatively short, although the traditions from which it derives are ancient. Artists have always used the mediums at their disposal to reflect their culture. Woodcarving, based on simple tools and accessable materials, is often counted in the Folk Art tradition.

The personage which we know as Santa Claus has evolved over the centuries. Santa Claus has his beginnings in Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, in Asia Minor in the fourth century. Saint Nicolas was associated with good needs and miracles, being the patron saint of children. His birthday, December 6, was long celebrated as the night that an old man, riding a white horse and bearing gifts would visit children.

With the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century European countries of Germany and England renounced religious idolatry, changing the name to Father Christmas (England), Weihnachtsmann, Christmas Man (Germany), Grandfather Frost (Russia), Babbo Natale (Italy), and Pere Noel (France.) During this time, Father Christmas combined the St. Nicholas tradition with the pagan figures of Saturn, bringer of gifts, and Thor, spirit of winter. In northern Germany St. Nicholas' alter ego, Knecht Rupprecht appeared. His job was to reward the good and cause the bad to repent. He was also known as Ru-Klas or rough Nicholas because of his clothing and appearance.

In America, the tradition continued with Pennsylvania Germans. Their Pelznickel followed from Ru-Klas and was represented by an old bearded man who carried a bag of toys for good children and a stick switch for bad children. The Dutch, settled in New York City, pronounced Saint Nicolas as "Sinter Claes," which by the Civil War had evolved to Santa Claus. Washington Irving's Knickerbocker History of New York, published in 1890, changed St. Nicolas from a religous bishop to jolly old St. Nick, who showered gifts and well wishs on the people. During the 19th century, artists added now familiar elements: mistletoe, wassail bowl, home at the North Pole, fur trimmed suit, sleigh and reindeer, and toy workshop. Clement Moore's 1822 poem, "An Account of a Visit of St. Nicholas," and Thomas Nash's drawing of Santa for Harper's Weekly helped refine the present image.

In the 1930's, Santa's present image was completed with the addition of a robust, rounded body, twinkling blue eyes, and red suit. This jolly figure became an accepted advertising icon of the Christmas season, largely through it's use by Coca-Cola. The industral age brought new materials and manufacturing techniques, resulting in the depiction of Santa in many forms of media. Printed drawings and posters, post cards, paper-mache, pressed cardboard, chalkware, celluloid, plastic and plaster was used extensively to mass produce the Santa image. In fact, wood carving was often used to produce the original art from which these reproductions were based.

Although today's use of the image of Santa in advertising and mass-produced art is as popular as ever, the even longer tradition of carving original, one-of-a-kind Santa figues continues. In fact, we can thank the mass produced media for bringing the history and traditions of Saint Nicholas to a wider audience.