A very merry Xmas to all my followers and visitors; with thanks and best wishes to all for the New Year.
The development of the symbolism of Father Xmas/Santa Claus is a good example of how syncretism, that is, the over-lapping of symbolism occurs over time through the fusion of various myths, folk-lore and religion.
Wiki - Link - Father Christmas - Santa Claus
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| Crucified Santa ?! |
23rd December This spotted while walking through Norwich suburbs. A real puzzle of comparative religion; simultaneously evoking elements of Christianity and pagan Nordic belief and a curious frisson of sacrilege and comedy. It could only, I thought, occur in Norwich, historically the only City ever to be ex-communicated. (1274). But in fact Santa crucified appears to be an American import and protest against the materialism of Xmas.
7 comments:
A very merry Christmas, Kevin!
Merry Christmas to you, Kev!
What a novel concept-- the Humiliated Santa, lol. As you said, only in Norwich!
Merry Christmas. I've seen plenty of Santas around here, but that's the first one I've seen being crucified. I had to laugh. Now I'll have to look up why Norwich was ex-communicated!
I missed the image of the martyred Santa. Irreverent but . . . fun (oh yes).
I take the Santa as good, clean youthful fun, the point, if any, being that as a consequence of making the Nativity coincide with Saturnalia, and a couple of saints, Basil and Nicholas, being put to work for gift-giving, etc., the vastly differing functions of this Solstice holiday are likely to lead to Papa Noel being crucified in one sense or another. Compare the Easter Bunny: that's the one that logically should be crucified, but...
Anyhow, to you more than anyone else I know, may the new year be good for you. You deserve a good one, and 2011 wasn't good.
Pat
Thanks and best wishes to you all for 2012; in particular for those kind words of yours, Pat.
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