These days, images of Santa Claus usually show a jolly rotund fellow wearing a red suit, a fur-trimmed hat and black boots. This image became popular in the 19th century, due largely to political cartoonist Thomas Nast and “The Night Before Christmas” author Clement C. Moore. But behind this red-suited caricature we know so well today is a real man who lived in the third century.

Saint Nicholas was born around 280 AD in what is now Turkey. His parents were wealthy, devout Christians who died when he was little. Following Jesus’ advice to give to the poor, Nicholas gave away his entire inheritance to the poor and needy. He became the Bishop of Myra while still a young man, and continued to help those in need, particularly children. He was soon known as a protector of children and sailors.

He died December 6, 343 AD, and the anniversary of his death became Saint Nicholas Day, a day for feasting and celebrating.

The legend of Saint Nicholas was brought to the New World by Dutch setttlers. The name Santa Claus would evolve from the Dutch nickname, Sinter Klaas, a shortened form of Sint Nikolaas. The saint became a part of local lore when John Pintard founded the New York Historical Society in 1804 and made St. Nicholas the patron saint of the society and New York City.

He received another boost a few years later when Washington Irving joined the society and published a work called Knickerbocker’s History of New York on Saint Nicholas Day. The work contained numerous references to a jolly St. Nicholas character.

But it was Clement Clark Moore’s poem, originally titled “A Visit from Saint Nicholas,” but now better known as “The Night Before Christmas,” that cemented Saint Nicholas’ image as “a jolly old elf” with a “little round belly, that shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.” Moore reportedly wrote the poem for his family in 1822. It appeared in print a year later, in the Troy, New York Sentinel newspaper.

Political cartoonist Thomas Nast helped popularize the image Moore created. In 1863 he began drawing a series of annual cartoons for Harper’s Weekly that were based on the character in the poem and in Washington Irving’s work. Nash’s Santa has a beard, fur clothing, and a pipe, and was the basis for many Santas to follow. He was also the one to invent the North Pole, elves and Mrs. Claus.

By the 1890s, the image of Santa in a red suit and hat was so common that the Salvation Army began dressing men in Santa Claus suits and sending them into the streets of New York to solicit donations for the Christmas meals they provided for the needy. Later, other artists such as Norman Rockwell continued to popularize the image of Santa Claus as a bearded fat fellow in a red suit.

In 1931, Coca-Cola began using Santa in their advertisements and the rest, as they say, is history. Santa is now a common centerpiece of Christmas advertising. Although he still retains some small semblance to the Saint Nicholas of history who gave gifts to the needy, his transformation from an actual religious figure to a mythical secular figure has been otherwise complete.

Here’s something just for fun. We all know Clement C. Moore’s classic poem, commonly known as “The Night Before Christmas.” But what if Santa had to be politically correct? He might have to change his wardrobe, stop using the word “elf” and make sure Rudolph got credit for that bright red nose. Read on!

The Politically Correct Night Before Christmas
‘Twas the night before Christmas and Santa’s a wreck…
How to live in a world that’s politically correct?
His workers no longer would answer to “Elves,”
“Vertically Challenged” they were calling themselves.

And labor conditions at the North Pole
Were alleged by the union to stifle the soul.
Four reindeer had vanished, without much propriety,
Released to the wilds by the Humane Society.

And equal employment had made it quite clear
That Santa had better not use just reindeer.
So Dancer and Donner, Comet and Cupid,
Were replaced with 4 pigs, and you know that looked stupid!

The runners had been removed from his sleigh;
The ruts were termed dangerous by the E.P.A.
And people had started to call for the cops
When they heard sled noises on their roof-tops.

Second-hand smoke from his pipe had his workers quite frightened.
His fur trimmed red suit was called “Unenlightened.”
And to show you the strangeness of life’s ebbs and flows,
Rudolf was suing over unauthorized use of his nose
And had gone on Geraldo, in front of the nation,
Demanding millions in over-due compensation.

So, half of the reindeer were gone; and his wife,
Who suddenly said she’d enough of this life,
Joined a self-help group, packed, and left in a whiz,
Demanding from now on her title was Ms.

And as for the gifts, why, he’d ne’er had a notion
That making a choice could cause so much commotion.
Nothing of leather, nothing of fur,
Which meant nothing for him. And nothing for her.

Nothing that might be construed to pollute.
Nothing to aim. Nothing to shoot.
Nothing that clamored or made lots of noise.
Nothing for just girls. Or just for the boys.

Nothing that claimed to be gender specific.
Nothing that’s warlike or non-pacific.
No candy or sweets…they were bad for the tooth.
Nothing that seemed to embellish a truth.

And fairy tales, while not yet forbidden,
Were like Ken and Barbie, better off hidden.
For they raised the hackles of those psychological
Who claimed the only good gift was one ecological.

No baseball, no football…someone could get hurt;
Besides, playing sports exposed kids to dirt.
Dolls were said to be sexist, and should be passe’;
And Nintendo would rot your entire brain away.

So Santa just stood there, disheveled, perplexed;
He just could not figure out what to do next.
He tried to be merry, tried to be gay,
But you’ve got to be careful with that word today.

His sack was quite empty, limp to the ground;
Nothing fully acceptable was to be found.
Something special was needed, a gift that he might
Give to all without angering the left or the right.

A gift that would satisfy, with no indecision,
Each group of people, every religion;
Every ethnicity, every hue,
Everyone, everywhere…even you.
So here is that gift, it’s price beyond worth…
“May you and your loved ones enjoy peace on earth.”

copyright Harvey Ehrlich, 1992

Notice: This poem is copyright 1992 by Harvey Ehrlich. It is free to distribute, without changes, as long as this notice remains intact. All follow-ups, requests, comments, questions, distribution rights, etc should be made to mduhan@husc.harvard.edu. Happy Holidays!

This year, Americans will send 2.1 billion cards during the holidays. Most of these cards are made from virgin paper, and most of them end up in the trash after the holidays.

Creating cards from recycled paper not only saves virgin forest, but it also takes less energy to create paper from recycled materials than virgin materials. So if you’re looking for a way to reduce your environmental impact this year, here are some places where you can find recycled Christmas cards. Happy shopping!

Gallery Collection
You’ll find two types of cards in their Environmentally Friendly Christmas Card category – recycled paper cards and wind power cards. Cards are marked with icons to let you easily see which ones are made at low-impact, emissions-free mills powered by wind-generated, renewable energy, which ones are made from recycled paper, and which ones are made from raw materials that have been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

Holiday Classics
Holiday Classics offers a variety of recycled holiday cards, some of which are also printed with soy ink. Detailed card descriptions help you determine which cards have 100% recycled content, post-consumer content or soy ink printing.

Pear Tree
Yes, you CAN find recycled photo Christmas cards online! In addition to offering a nice selection of regular recycled holiday greeting cards, Pear Tree also offers recycled photo cards that contain 100% post-consumer fibers. Simply choose your design and upload a digital image to create your own eco-friendly photo card for the holidays.

Fine Stationery
Although they don’t have a category specifically for recycled greetings, Fine Stationery has over a dozen designs you’ll find if you search for recycled Christmas cards on their site. Some contain post-consumer fiber. You’ll just need to read the descriptions to discover which ones.

Sierra Club
The Sierra Club’s holiday cards offer beautiful images of nature on them and come on recycled paper with soy inks. Plus, you’ll be supporting their environmental efforts with each purchase.

Greenfield Paper
In addition to offering 16 recycled card designs, Greenfield Paper also offers recycled gift wrap.

Many people believe candy canes were invented to symbolize Jesus’ suffering. History doesn’t actually support this notion (a choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany is credited with bending straight white sticks into hook shapes to represent a shepherd’s staff and keep children quiet during the long Christmas services), but much has been written about the Christian symbolism of this favorite holiday candy. Here are some poems that celebrate the Christian candy cane legend.

Jesus, Gentle Shepherd,
this cane of red and white
proclaims the sweet love story
born on Christmas night

This cane, you see, when turned around
begins your name of love
and now becomes a symbol
of peace proclaimed above
The lively peppermint flavor
is the regal gift of spice
The white is your purity
and the red your sacrifice

And so this cane reminds us
of just how much you care
and like your Christmas gift to us
it’s meant for all to share

—-

A significant symbol of Christmas
Is the simple candy cane.
It’s shape is the crook of the shepherd,
One of the first who came.
The lively peppermint flavor is
The regal gift of spice.
The white is Jesus’ purity.
The red is sacrifice.
The narrow stripes are friendship
And the nearness of his love.
Eternal, sweet compassion,
A gift from God above.
The candy cane reminds us all
how much God loved and cared.
And like His Christmas gift to us
It’s meant to be broken and shared.