He’s the world’s most recognisable man with his red and white felt fat suit and bobble hat and bushy white beardie but he’s really an American… Uncle Samta Claus.
The Father Christmas we all know and love is surprise, surprise, a US creation and more precisely a New Yorker.
Which the more historical, or Dutch, will recognise as New Amsterdam.
And this matters because it was the early Dutch settlers.
Who brought their Sinterklaas across the Atlantic with them in the 17th century.
Sinterklass act
The colonialists being the masters of reinvention turned the thin Sinterklaas into a more rotund Santa Claus.
In furs rather than bishop’s robes and riding a sleigh pulled by reindeers rather than a flying horse.
And arriving on Christmas Day rather than January 6, Epiphany.
Twas the night
Of course, we should credit writers Washington Irving and Clement Clark Moore for the part they played in the Uncle Samta story.
With Irving’s Knickerbocker’s History of New York popularising the name Santa Claus as the translation of Sinterklaas.
And Clement Clarke Moore’s poem A Visit From St. Nicholas, or Twas the Night Before Christmas, turning Santa into a jolly old elf.
So how do holiday revellers best mark these pioneers and Santa’s journey?
A New Amsterdam Christening
Well, there’s the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade (100 years this year) the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting and ice rink.
And the Radio City Christmas Spectacular (The Rockettes).
An Old Amsterdam Christmas
While Old Amsterdam also puts on a show.
With Museumplein turned into Amsterdam Christmas Square every year with markets and an ice rink.
While the most famous lighted area of all in Amsterdam puts Christmas illuminations gloss on the season.
But whether you’re celebrating in New Amsterdam/New York, Old Amsterdam or any point in between or further afield.
Offer a big show-ho-ho of gratitude to Uncle Samta Claus.
