It's December, and a ton of holidays
are about to kick off. Because of this, today's post and those of
the next two weeks will each be taking a look at a different holiday.
Since Christmas Eve (and Santa's trip around the world) are less than a week away, let's take a look at the origins of the world's favorite fat, jolly man.
Except...Has he always been so fat and jolly? Could Santa Claus, good ol' Saint Nick, have his origins not in a Christian saint, but in a pagan deity?
The concept of Santa being Odin was first introduced to me in Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series, and the idea has stuck with me ever since. After a bunch of research, I finally decided to write up a post about the idea. Let's jump into it!
About
this time last year I did a post about Yule, a Norse holiday which
celebrates the end of the cold season and the returning of the sun.
A large part of Yule revolves around worshiping Odin, who is
sometimes called the Yule Father.
Part
of Odin's role in Yule-time was the leading of the Wild Hunt. There
are so many myths tied to this hunt that it unfortunately is somewhat
difficult to explain. A common belief among many cultures is that
the lands of the dead and the living are much closer together during
times of equinox or solstice. Yule traditionally falls around the
winter solstice. Some tales say that the Wild Hunt is a hunting
party of monsters – such as witches and devils – who cross the
barrier between worlds for this one night. Other stories say that
the Wild Hunt is comprised of the souls of those who have died during
the year, and that Odin is leading them into the next life. There
are many variations in between those two extremes.
One
near-constant amongst the Norse was the presence of Odin at the head
of the Wild Hunt. Some old folk customs around Yule are tied to the
god's presence.
Being
American, a yearly tradition for my family is to leave out milk and
cookies for Santa Claus. When I wake up on Christmas morning, the
cookies have been eaten – and the stockings have been filled with
presents. However, I have some friends whose family is Germanic, and
they grew up leaving shoes stuffed with straw and carrots for Saint
Nicholas' reindeer. The reindeer food disappears overnight, and when
they wake up in the morning oranges and small toys are in their shoes
instead.
Apparently
this tradition stretches back beyond Christianity's influence on the
Nordic folk. It was customary for small children to leave their
shoes filled with hay and carrots around Yule – not for the
reindeer or Santa, but for Odin and his horse, Sleipnir. Sleipnir
would eat the goodies, and Odin would leave small presents in the
shoes. That's right - Odin and Santa are both known for distributing gifts to small children!
What I
find most interesting about this whole theory is the explanation for
how we went from Odin, riding atop Sleipnir, to Santa, with his
chariot pulled by eight reindeer. Santa/Saint Nick has ridden many a
creature in his travels throughout time and the world. Sometimes it
has been a goat, or a donkey. Often it is a horse. The depiction of
the reindeer did not appear until the early 1800s. The poem credited
with introducing the eight reindeer is known in modern times as “
'Twas the Night Before Christmas”, though it was called “A Visit
from St. Nicholas” when it was first published in 1823. Why does
the use of eight reindeer intrigue me so? Well, if you've read my
previous posts about Odin, you might recall that Sleipnir has eight
legs.
Imagine
how different the poem could have been!
“When what to my
wandering eyes should appear,
But Odin upon his great
battle horse, Sleipnir!”
Perhaps
the part that convinces me the most that Santa Claus has his roots in
Odin lies in the appearance of the Christmas figure. Modern times
have painted a picture of a jolly fat man, with a bushy white beard
and a red suit. However, earlier pictures of Santa portrayed him as
tall and slender – though he maintained the beard! These depictions are eerily similar to those of the Norse god (as well as Gandalf, whom Tolkien based upon Odin. That's right – if this theory is correct, Gandalf is Santa!).
Again, if you've read my posts about Odin you might recall his tendency to wander the world disguised as an old human man, who roams about helping out mankind. That sounds rather like Santa Claus to me! More evidence of a connection between the two can be found in one of the most common myths about Santa Claus.
“He sees you when
you're sleeping
He knows if you're
awake
He knows if you've been
bad or good -
So be good, for
goodness' sake!”
In Norse
mythology, Odin sacrificed one of his eyes for great wisdom and the
ability to see into the future. He also possesses two ravens, Huginn
and Muninn. Every day these ravens fly all over the world, and as
the sun goes down they return to Odin to tell him everything they've
seen. What better way to spy on children all over the world?
Personally,
I think that the modern Santa Claus has been influenced by a lot of
things. Christianity has certainly has certainly helped form his
character, as has commercialism. Pop culture too has had a huge
impact, as evidenced by Rudolph. Could Odin have been a part of the
beginnings of Santa Claus' story? I'd like to think so. Even if you
disagree, I hope this look at some of the parallels between the two
has been interesting.
Merry
Christmas and a happy Yule to you all! I'll be back next week with a
post about Kwanzaa!
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