This column first appeared in December 2010.
It is the belief of many that the original “Santa Claus” was St. Nicholas of Myra, born in 300 A.D. The only child of affluent parents, he was orphaned at the age of three and sent to a monastery. At the age of seventeen he became a priest with a compassion for those in poverty. Through the remainder of his life he systematically gave away his fortune to those in need, especially the children.
According to legend, he was known for dropping bags of gold coins down chimneys, some of which would land in the stockings that had been hung there to dry. In his advanced years Nicholas was elevated to the position of Bishop. The common garb for bishops in that time was a long flowing robe trimmed in fur and a red cape . . . does this sound familiar? After his death he was elevated to sainthood and incorporated into the Catholic celebration of Christmas.
When the Reformation made the figure of Saint Nicholas undesirable to many Protestant denominations, the Christmas gift-giver took on a number of new forms. In France he was called Pere Noel, in England he was Father Christmas, Russian children referred to him as Father Frost, and to the Dutch he was Sinterklass. Through all of his many transformations two things remained constant: his white beard and his generosity towards children.
Santa Claus, as we know him today, first appeared in the 1823 Clement C. Moore poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” where he is described as “chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf.” This figure was popularized in 1863 with a series of illustrations by Thomas Nast that appeared in Harpers Weekly, and permanently etched in our minds with the Haddon Sundlbom Coca-Cola Santas which appeared on the back covers of National Geographic and the Saturday Evening Post from 1931-1964. It is the Coca-Cola Santa, with his red suit trimmed in white fur, and wearing a black belt and boots, that is considered the image of the “modern” Santa.
Today’s collectors watch for Santa figures from the late 1800s and the early part of the 1900s. These Santas are dressed in robes, rather than the “modern” red suit. Robes made of mohair or fur are the most desirable. Older examples will seldom be found in red, but are in the Victorian era colors of purple, brown, white, blue, green, and occasionally in yellow.
In addition to figures, Santa candy containers and tree ornaments are popular with collectors. Many of the finer examples are German in origin. The tree ornaments will often be made of blown or spun glass, and the candy containers will be made, at least in part, of paper mache. These Santa collectables, from late 1800s German craftsmen, are sometimes referred to as a “Belsnickle,” a German term meaning Father Christmas.
Early Santa postcards, crepe paper fold outs, paper mache forms, and greeting cards are growing in popularity and in value. In the area of Christmas paper collectibles, age is a definite factor in determining value. However, excellent condition is imperative no matter what the age. Scrapbooking was a popular hobby of young women at the turn of the century. As a result, many Christmas postcards and greeting cards of the era were pasted into books. These items are most always damaged from adhesive and as such have lost much of their individual value.
A heads-up for all of you Baby Boomers — be sure to take good care of any childhood Christmas decorations that you may have. Chalk Santas, bubble lights, clip-on birds for the tree, and plastic Santas from the 50s and 60s are starting to catch the eye of collectors and values are on the rise.
Until next time . . . Linda
Linda Kennett may be reached at 317-258-7835 or lkennett@indy.rr.com