Who is better, Santa Claus or Santa Claus? Santa Claus vs Santa Claus: who is cooler? Who is cooler than Santa Claus or Santa

Since 2005, the official birthday of the Russian Santa Claus celebrated November 18th. This date was not chosen by chance: it is believed that on this day in the homeland of Father Frost - in Veliky Ustyug - frosts come and winter sets in. At the same time, the age of the old man is not precisely known; moreover, there are several versions of the birth of this character.

The Slavic deity is considered the prototype of Santa Claus: the lord of cold and frost. The image of this spirit is reflected in Slavic fairy tale folklore, where it is referred to as Frost, Student, Treskunets, Morozko, Zyuzya. Slavic peoples imagined this deity in the form of an old man with a long gray beard, who runs through the fields and causes bitter frosts with a knock. Considering that Slavic mythology was formed in the process of separating the ancient Slavs from the Indo-European community of peoples in the II-I millennium BC. e., then the age of Santa Claus can exceed 2000 years.

However, Santa Claus known to us is not only the lord of winter and frost, but also a kind old man who brings gifts to children. A similar image is shown in the fairy tale "Moroz Ivanovich" Vladimir Odoevsky 1840, in which the literary processing of the folklore and ritual Frost is given for the first time. Moroz Ivanovich is described as a gray-haired old man who lives in an ice house and sleeps on a featherbed made of snow. He covers the winter shoots with snow, as if he shakes his head - frost falls from his hair. If we take into account the fact that the image of Santa Claus has entered the literary tradition, then his age is a little less than 180 years.

Author of works on the history of Santa Claus in Russia, philologist Elena Dushechkina writes that the image of Frost, created by Odoevsky, is still far from the character we know. According to her, it finally took shape only by the beginning of the 20th century, when, in addition to the verbal description, it acquired a recognizable visual form. By this time, the figure of an old man in a fur coat and with a bag in his hands had become popular. Christmas tree toy, as well as a doll in advertising windows, in the shape of the face of Santa Claus, they began to make Carnival masks. It wasn't until the 1910s that people dressed up as Santa Claus began to show up at children's parties. If we take into account the time of the appearance of the familiar image of Santa Claus, then the character is just over 100 years old.

Philologist Svetlana Adoneva in his study of history new year tradition notes that Santa Claus as an obligatory character of the New Year's holiday appeared only in the pre-war years. This image arose under the Soviet regime, which by the end of the thirties, after several years of prohibition, again allowed Christmas trees. Thus, Santa Claus as an attribute of the New Year holiday has existed for about 80 years.

How old is Santa Claus?

Age determination Santa Claus causes less difficulties than in the case of Santa Claus. Considering that the prototype of Santa is St Nicholas, he is Nicholas the Wonderworker, then the date of birth of the character is taken as the date of birth of the saint: 270 AD. e. Thus, Santa Claus is 1747 years old.

The date when Santa Claus became the hero of a literary work is also known. This happened in 1823, when the Christmas poem "An Account of the Visitation of St. Nicholas" was published in New York. Its author writer Clement Clark Moore, wrote a poem for his three daughters, in which he spoke of a cheerful old elf who travels on a reindeer team and brings gifts to children by entering the house through the chimney.

The image of Santa Claus entered popular culture after the American cartoonist Thomas Nast created an illustration with this character for Harper's Weekly. On January 3, 1863, this magazine featured an image of a bearded old man dressed in a suit painted in the colors of the American flag. It was a political cartoon that reflected the events of the Civil War. Santa Claus in his traditional costume and carrying a bag of toys can be seen in Nast's later illustrations from the 1880s.

In the early 1890s, homeless people dressed as Santa Claus began to appear on the streets of New York to collect donations. This money was used charitable organization Salvation Army to pay for free Christmas meals to families in need.

So which character is older?

Considering that the exact date of the appearance of the prototype of Santa Claus is unknown, we cannot compare his age with the age of Santa Claus. As for literary images, the description of Santa Claus, close to the modern one, was given a little earlier than that of the familiar Santa Claus. The visual image of the old donor was also first introduced to the Americans, and then to the residents of Russia.

What would you say if, for example, someone depicted our fabulous Emelya as an American cowboy against the background of the prairies? Or imagine Vasilisa the Beautiful as a charming mulatto. You are laughing in vain ... Try asking your child to draw Santa Claus. You will be surprised, but most likely you will get Santa Claus!

This character with a powerful television advertising campaign has long supplanted our Santa Claus. And now more and more we receive and give not gifts, but “presents”, and instead of the New Year we hear a continuous “Happy New Year”. But let's remember how our traditional New Year's hero Santa Claus differs from the "overseas" Santa.

1. Origin

Santa Claus (Morozko), is an ancient native Russian character. It comes from the category of brownies, mermaids, goblin and other supernatural forces. Its existence has been known since time immemorial, and the main purpose is to pile more snow and freeze bad people with cold.

Santa Claus is the image of St. Nicholas, originally a Christian saint, who distributes gifts to the poor and needy. This image of Santa Claus came into tradition in 1823 thanks to the Christmas work of Clement Moore, a seminary teacher.

2. Primary colors

Santa Claus represents snow and frost, which means that his main colors are blue and white. But red and green colors are also allowed.

No one remembers what colors Santa Claus was originally in ... But since the mid-fifties of the last century, Santa Claus has become one of the advertising areas of the well-known transnational corporation for the production of soft drinks. In this connection, it can only be red and white and no other, because these are the colors that are “corporate”.

3. Outfits

Santa Claus is always dressed for a real Russian winter: a long fur coat embroidered with patterns to the ground, belted with a sash. The fur coat has a fur collar, warm felt boots and mittens. On the head is a warm hat trimmed with fur.

Santa Claus dresses according to his own weather: a light jacket, pants, shoes, a wide belt, light gloves that will not save you in the cold. On Santa's head is a nightcap with a pompom. Very rarely, all these clothes can be “insulated” with a white fur trim.

4. Beard

Santa's beard

Santa Claus's beard is long, to the waist, or even to the floor.

Santa Claus has a maximum short beard in the form of a "shovel".

5. Working tools

The working tool of Santa Claus is a staff, which can be crystal or silver. With them, Santa Claus freezes bad people and unfreezes good people. He also has a big bag with gifts.

Santa Claus has only a bag with gifts.

Differences between Santa Claus and Santa Claus. Where do these fairy tale characters live? Where can they be found?

Christmas holidays are approaching all over the world. Soon Santa Claus and Santa Claus will pack their bags and go to distribute gifts to obedient children in every country. But first, each of them will read all the letters that came from them.

It is interesting that these main characters of the Christmas and New Year period work on their own territory and do not encroach on the neighbor's possessions.

What are the differences between them, where do they live and is it really possible to see them together at the same time - let's talk in more detail.

What is the difference between Santa Claus and Santa Claus: comparison, differences and similarities

There are more differences between Santa Claus and Santa Claus than similarities. Let's start with them:

• Headdress.
  Santa has a nightcap, Grandfather has a hat trimmed with fur. Due to the strong climate difference in Russia, a thin cap will not help to keep warm from the bitter cold. Frost's hat should be embroidered with pearls and silver, have a wide hem and an oval shape.
• Vision is stronger in our fairy-tale hero than in Europe. The last one wears glasses
• Santa Claus has a longer beard, it reaches the waist, although the classic size is to the heels. His colleague has her short and spade
• Clothing.
  Our Grandfather wears a long fur coat to the toes of red, blue or white color unlike Santa, who prefers a short jacket only in red, as he advertises Coca-Cola. Again, the climatic conditions of the north of Russia require high-quality insulation with a fur coat.
• Shoes.
  Frost is comfortable only in felt boots, and Klaus is comfortable in boots.
• Grandfather has mittens on his hands, and Santa has gloves. In severe frost, you can keep warm only with gloves
• Belt our hero has a wide, tied around the waist. European character wears a belt with a buckle
• In his hands, Grandfather holds a staff, and Santa holds a bag with gifts or nothing. With a staff, our hero wraps trees in snow, freezes water, that is, he works miracles.
• The bad habit of smoking a pipe is characteristic of many Santa Claus characters. Our character leads healthy lifestyle life
• Way to travel.
  Santa only rides in a reindeer cart. Santa Claus prefers to walk, in extreme cases, ride in a sleigh driven by three horses.
• Habitat.
  Santa lives in Lapland in a big house, and Frost lives in the Siberian wilderness in a log house.
• Helpers- Santa has elves and gnomes, our granddaughter Snegurochka helps our Frost, before the revolution there were angels.

The common point of these New Year's heroes is their origin from a Christian saint named Nicholas, who lived in an ancient Byzantine city. He protected children, patronized them.

In Tsarist Russia, Nicholas the Wonderworker became associated with the hero New Year holidays. After the revolution in the last century and the persecution of religion and its paraphernalia, the image and name were replaced by Santa Claus.

The North American peoples had a folklore character giving gifts to children at Christmas. He came to Europe already as Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of children. Translation into English language his name was transformed into Santa Claus.

Santa Claus and Santa Claus: difference, differences in appearance, costume, photo

Let's add a series of photos of Santa Claus and Santa Claus to remember the visual difference between them in appearance.

Who is older, better, cooler, stronger: Santa Claus or Santa Claus?

Older definitely Santa Claus. This image came to Christianity from pagan times.

Our Santa Claus is also stronger. In addition to a physically developed body, he wields a magic staff. Santa has neither one nor the other.

To answer the question of who is better, you should decide on the parameters. The same goes for determining the coolness of heroes. For example, Santa Claus is more interesting, because he always walks accompanied by a beautiful granddaughter, he is a magician, loves wildlife and takes care of it. It does not obey anyone and does not advertise anyone. Live freely and honestly.

Where does Santa Claus and Santa Claus live?

Santa Claus lives beyond the Arctic Circle in a territory called Lapland. By the way, this is the northern part of Russia, Sweden and Finland.

Officially, his residence is a place located 8 km from the town of Rovaniemi in Finland. An international airport, a large office, an amusement park and a shopping center have been built here. Santa's residence welcomes tourists all year round.

Since the late 90s of the last century, the city of Bolshoi Ustyug in the Vologda region has been officially recognized as the residence of Father Frost. Before that, she was in Arkhangelsk and on the Kola Peninsula in the Lapland Reserve. Currently, there are representative offices of Santa Claus in Moscow and Murmansk.

Where can Santa Claus and Santa Claus meet?

• Theoretically, these characters should not meet, because they work in different territories.
• If you play with words and pay attention to their place of residence - Lapland and the Lapland Reserve, then it is logical to assume that they are neighbors.
• In practice, Santa Claus and Santa Claus intersect on New Year corporate parties, outdoors during the holidays.

If you hear a similar question on a festive quiz, then the correct answers will be:

• on the border, matinee
• shopping mall, airport
• under your door

Turn on your imagination and give out the most extraordinary assumptions about the meeting place of Santa Claus and Santa Claus.

Video: what is the difference between Santa Claus and Santa Claus?

Society

Which one is real?

So, again New Year On the nose! Christmas tree, Olivier, president on TV, Santa Claus ... or Santa Claus? Who will come this time to listen to poetry and give gifts to your child? And if it asks “Which one of them is real?”, then not everyone will be able to immediately answer sensibly. Let's figure it out together.

1. History

The historical roots of Santa Claus take us deep into the pagan past of our people. The Eastern Slavs had such a character - grandfather Treskun (Karachun, Pozvizd, Zimnik), the lord of snows and snowstorms. We are more familiar with him who has already “become better” and fair from the fairy tales “Frost” and “Frost is a red nose”, but initially this grandfather had a cool and cold temper, and hardly anyone could expect gifts from him other than a frostbitten nose. In the old days, during carols, the mask of the silent "Grandfather", dressed in a sheepskin coat, was the most important and most terrible.

Santa Claus is much "younger", and he has a real historical prototype - St. Nicholas (Nicholas, Saint Nicholas), the patron saint of travelers and children. The future Christmas symbol was born in the 3rd century AD. in Lycia, a province of the Roman Empire. Having done many good deeds during his lifetime and being the archbishop of the city of Mirra, he lived to a ripe old age, and was later canonized as a saint. One of famous stories associated with him is the rescue of the three daughters of a ruined city dweller. They were going to give the poor things out of extreme poverty to “fornication”. The future saint protected the family from disgrace by throwing three sacks of gold into their garden. According to another version, he threw bags into the chimney, and they fell into shoes (or stockings) that were drying nearby. This is where the tradition of tossing Christmas presents comes from.

2. Appearance

The image of a pot-bellied Santa in a short red fur coat, boots, a cap, and glasses, moving on a sleigh pulled by deer, was created in 1822. It was then that the American professor of Greek and Oriental literature, Clement Clarke Moore, wrote the poem "The Coming of St. Nicholas", in which the saint appeared before us like this. By the way, before that he was always depicted in a gray cloak and a wide-brimmed hat, which, of course, is historically more true.

Santa Claus, although outwardly similar to Santa, has a number distinguishing features: his fur coat is floor-length, and under it are rich, silver-embroidered felt boots (he is also from harsh, cold edges); a hat - Russian boyar, and not a cap with a pompom; a staff is required - it plays an important role, since our Grandfather retained his main role as the lord of winter and frost, he needs to freeze rivers, lakes and kids on Christmas trees! In addition, instead of eight deer and a bunch of shabby gnomes, he has one assistant, but a beautiful one. Where the Snow Maiden came from is a story for a separate article, but the character is extremely convenient, and if Baba Yaga didn’t steal her every matinee, it would be difficult for scriptwriters of children’s holidays to live in the world! ..

3. Habitat

We know for sure where Santa Claus lives: in Finland. Although many northern countries are still debating about this, Finland has won so far in this matter. By a UN decision from 1984, Santa Claus was officially settled for permanent residence, together with the gnomes, in the town of Payakylä, near the city of Rovaniemi in Lapland. You can write to him there at the address: Finland, 96930, Arctic Circle, or go to santamail.com. Lapland is extremely popular as a place New Year's Eve, where you can specifically settle next to Santa Claus in a special village near the Finnish city of Rovaniemi. Finland is generally a favorite place to rent a cottage for the New Year.

How is our Russian Santa Claus different from overseas Santa Claus, and what do they have in common?

Who is better, Santa Claus or Santa Claus?

New Year 2016 is coming soon. Shops are the first to be transformed for the holiday and shopping centers. Well, this is understandable - it is necessary to stimulate the population to purchase, outfits , delicacies and champagne. We are starting to think about how and what we need to invite Santa Claus or Santa Claus to our children. Stop! Are Santa Claus and Santa Claus the same character? Or is it completely different fairy-tale heroes? What do these grandfathers have in common? How is our Russian Santa Claus different from overseas Santa Claus?

Let's figure it out together.

1. PLACE OF BIRTH

Since 1998, at the state level, it was decided to consider the city of Veliky Ustyug in the Vologda Oblast as the homeland and place of permanent residence of the Russian Father Frost. It is currently the official residence Santa Claus.

motherland Santa Claus- Finnish Lapland, which is located far in the North beyond the Arctic Circle. There he lives permanently with his hardworking assistants - fabulous gnomes.

2. APPEARANCE

Father Frost- not yet very old, handsome, strong, of a heroic physique, a tall old man. He has straight white hair and a long beautiful snow-white beard to the waist, sometimes to the very ground. Santa Claus has a red nose from the cold and rosy cheeks. It has a booming bass.

Santa Claus- a man at a very respectable age, he is not tall, and he has a rather large tummy. Santa's hair is curly gray, his beard is white, curly, to the chest. Santa Claus wears glasses and smokes a pipe. He is very handsome and ruddy-cheeked from the cold. Santa speaks in a loud low voice.

3. OUTERWEAR.

Father Frost dressed in warm clothes fur coat white fur inside, covered with brocade fabric of blue-blue, white-silver or red. The fur coat is belted with a long sash.

Santa Claus always dressed in short light red jacket trimmed with white fur, belted with a black leather belt with a large metal buckle.

4. HEADDRESS.

On the head Santa Claus a warm fur hat is put on, shaped like an old boyar or royal hat. AT classic version the lapels of this hat should be embroidered with precious crystals and pearls. In general, a rather expensive headdress.

At Santa Claus on his head is a light red cap with a fur coat.

5. GLOVES

Father Frost hides his hands in warm fur mittens. In the classic version, mittens should be three-fingered.

On the hands of Santa Claus light black gloves

6. PANTS

At Santa Claus his trousers are not visible from under the long fur coat, but it is assumed that his trousers and shirt should be white linen.

Santa Claus always wears red pants made from the same fabric as the jacket.

7.SHOES

Modern Father Frost shod in Russian felt boots, most often white, embroidered with intricate patterns with silver thread. In the classic version, Santa Claus appeared in red leather boots with heels, with pointed toes bent to the top, embroidered beautiful patterns. Remember what boots Ivan Tsarevich had from a Russian fairy tale? So Santa Claus had the same ones when he was younger, and now at his age it's time to keep his feet warm.

Santa Claus invariably shod in black leather boots.

8. STAFF

Father Frost leans when walking on a long carved staff, decorated on top with a precious knob or a star. With this staff in winter, Santa Claus freezes everything he sees fit: rivers, lakes, seas, in general, everything around. Many times it happened that in a hard time, when enemies attacked Russia, Frost came to the aid of Russian heroes. Remember the story: this was the case during the wars with the Teutonic Knights, with Napoleon, and even with the Nazis.

In the hands of Santa Claus a long stick bent to the bottom with a hook. The stick is usually painted with red-green stripes. In my opinion, this is just a stick that Santa leans on when walking, and no magic.

9. TRANSPORT

Father Frost walks or skis, or arrives in a sleigh pulled by a trio of snow-white horses, personifying the three winter months.

Santa Claus moves across the sky on a sleigh harnessed to a reindeer team of nine deer. All deer have their own names, but the most popular one is called Rudolf, and it is he who is the first in the team.

10. HOW IT ENTERS THE HOUSE

Father Frost enters the house through the door.

Santa Claus secretly descends into the house through the chimney.

11. SATELLITES

Our Santa Claus on the New Year's holiday, he is always accompanied by his constant companion - granddaughter Snow Maiden.

Santa Claus comes at Christmas almost always alone, sometimes accompanied by one or two gnomes.

12. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

And our Santa Claus, and y Santa Claus one main responsibility is to give children gifts for New Year and Christmas. Only Santa Claus gives a gift to a child personally or secretly puts it under a decorated Christmas tree, and Santa Claus puts gifts in socks, which the children hung by the hearth especially for this.

13. PROTOTYPES OR TYPES

prototype Santa Claus there were Slavic pagan gods - Karachun, Treskun, Studenets, a blacksmith hero who bound the earth with frost in winter.

These pagan gods were quite evil and cruel, but over time they united, kinder and turned into a kind, strong, brave, cheerful, fair and generous, our beloved Santa Claus.

And the prototype Santa Claus was the Christian Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker (Santa - saint, Claus - Nicholas), known for secretly and completely disinterestedly helping the poor who had children.

Well, she seemed to tell everything she knew about Santa Claus and Santa Claus. The conclusion is this: it is impossible to say which of them is better and which is worse, they are both very good and loved. These are the two best and most beloved grandfathers in the world! Happy New Year to you and Merry Christmas!