Differences between Father Frost and Santa Claus. Where do these fairy-tale characters live? Where can you find them?
New Year's holidays are approaching all over the world. Soon Father Frost 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 property of their neighbor.
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
drawings of Father Frost and Santa Claus to determine the differences between themThere are more differences between Father Frost 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 you warm up from the severe cold. Frost's hat should be embroidered with pearls and silver, have a wide hem and an oval shape. - Our fairy-tale hero's vision is stronger than that of the European one. The last one wears glasses
- Santa Claus's beard is longer, it reaches the waist, although the classic size is down to the toes. His colleague's is short and spade-shaped
- Cloth.
Our Grandfather wears a long fur coat down to his toes in red, blue or white, unlike Santa, who prefers a short jacket only in red because 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 only keep warm with gloves
- Belt our hero has a wide one, tied around the waist. European character wears a belt with buckle
- Grandfather holds a staff in his hands, and Santa holds a bag of gifts or nothing. With his staff, our hero covers trees with snow, freezes water, that is, works miracles.
- The bad habit of smoking a pipe is characteristic of many Santa Claus characters. Our character leads healthy image life
- Way to travel.
Santa only rides in a cart pulled by reindeer. Santa Claus prefers to walk, or at least ride in a sleigh driven by three horses. - Habitat.
Santa lives in Lapland big house, and Frost - in the Siberian forest wilderness in a log house. - Assistants- Santa has elves and gnomes, but our Frost is helped by his granddaughter Snegurochka; before the revolution there were angels.
What these New Year's heroes have in common is their origin from a Christian saint named Nicholas, who lived in an ancient Byzantine city. He protected children and patronized them.
IN Tsarist Russia Nicholas the Wonderworker became associated with the hero of the New Year holidays. After the revolution in the last century and persecution of religion and its paraphernalia, the image and name were replaced by Father Frost.
North American peoples had a folklore character who gave gifts to children at Christmas. He came to Europe as Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of children. The English translation of his name transformed into Santa Claus.
Father Frost and Santa Claus: difference, differences in appearance, costume, photo
photo of New Year's characters Father Frost and Santa Claus looking at a moose figurine Let's add a series of photographs of Santa Claus and Father Frost to remember the visual difference between them in appearance.
external differences between Father Frost and Santa Claus, Figure 1 
external differences between Father Frost and Santa Claus, Figure 2 
external differences between Father Frost and Santa Claus, Figure 3 Who is older, better, cooler, stronger: Father Frost or Santa Claus?
collage drawing “Santa or Father Frost?” Grandfather Frost is definitely older. This image came to Christianity from pagan times.
Our Santa Claus is also stronger. In addition to his physically developed body, he wields a magic staff. Santa has neither one nor the other.
To answer the question of who is better, you need to decide on the parameters. The same applies to determining the coolness of heroes. For example, Santa Claus is more interesting because he always goes accompanied by his beautiful granddaughter, he is a wizard, he loves wildlife and take care of her. Does not obey anyone and does not advertise to anyone. Lives freely and honestly.
Where do Father Frost and Santa Claus live?
photo of Santa Claus's residence at night, top view Santa Claus lives above 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 considered to be 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 has been officially recognized as the residence of Father Frost. Vologda region. Before that, she was both in Arkhangelsk and in Kola Peninsula in the Lapland Nature Reserve. Currently, there are representative offices of Father Frost in Moscow and Murmansk.
Where can Father Frost and Santa Claus meet?
Santa Claus and Father Frost met at a corporate party - Theoretically, these characters should not meet, since they work in different territories.
- If you play with words and pay attention to their place of residence - Lapland and the Lapland Nature Reserve, then it is logical to assume that they are neighbors.
- In practice, Santa Claus and Father Frost meet at New Year's corporate parties and on the street during the holidays.
If you hear a similar question at a holiday quiz, the correct answers will be:
- at the border, matinee
- V mall, airport
- under the door of your house
Use your imagination and come up with the most extraordinary guesses regarding the meeting place of Father Frost and Santa Claus.
Video: what is the difference between Father Frost and Santa Claus?
Despite the fact that in general outline These New Year's grandfathers are similar, their differences are still striking at first glance - starting with the details of the costume and ending with their behavior in general.
1.Headdress- the first and main feature that distinguishes grandfathers.
Our Russian Father Frost wears a warm boyar hat with fur trim. The shape of this hat is semi-oval, traditional for Russian tsars. After all, in the freezing Russian winter you can’t go outside without a warm hat - you’ll immediately freeze.
Santa Claus wears a red peaked hat with a white pompom at the end.
2. Color scheme of clothes.
Santa Claus always wears a red suit with white trim.
Our Santa Claus dresses much richer. The background color of his clothes can be almost anything, with the exception of black - as long as it is associated with winter and frost. Father Frost's clothes are decorated with rich patterns, often embroidered in gold and silver, repeating the intricate design of frosty patterns on the windows, with eight-pointed stars and snowflakes.
3. Outerwear.
Santa Claus is dressed warmly - in a thick fur coat to the ankle, with a belt or sash to match the color of the fur trim. No self-respecting Frost would wear a fur coat above the knee! The fur coat is always trimmed with white fur, and ideally with swan's down!
Santa's outerwear is a short jacket, and he is belted with a black belt with a buckle.
4. Under a fur coat Santa Claus has a white linen shirt and trousers decorated with white geometric patterns (a symbol of purity).
Santa Claus wears pants that match the color of his jacket.
5. On foot Santa Claus wears traditional Russian winter shoes - felt boots (in classic version- white).
Santa Claus wears black boots.
6. On hands.
Santa Claus has three-fingered gloves or warm mittens on his hands - white, embroidered with silver - a symbol of the purity and holiness of everything that he gives from his hands. Three-fingered is a symbol of belonging to a higher divine principle. Even if there is a need to take off the mittens, Father Frost, according to Russian tradition, will tuck them into his belt.
Santa Claus wears light gloves.
7. Beard
Santa Claus has a beard that is white and fluffy, like snow, long, to the waist (classic - and even to the toes).
Santa Claus has a short beard, spade-shaped, with decorative curls, like a lamb’s, raising doubts about its naturalness.
8. Attributes.
The main attribute of Santa Claus is a staff, crystal or silver, with a twisted handle. The staff is completed with a moon - a stylized image of the month, or a bull's head - a symbol of power, fertility and happiness. After all, with a staff it’s easier to get through the snowdrifts. And Santa Claus’s staff is also magical - it is with its help that grandfather “freezes.”
Santa Claus has nothing in his hands. But there are two attributes on the face that are unacceptable for our big Santa Claus - these are glasses and a pipe that Santa smokes (though in last years the latter attribute appears less and less often and, most likely, will disappear completely over time - the result of anti-tobacco propaganda in the West).
9. Transport.
Classic Santa Claus moves on foot. Modern - often in a sleigh drawn by three horses.
Santa Claus rides in a cart pulled by reindeer.
10. Companions and assistants.
Santa Claus' assistants are good elves. Father Frost's faithful assistant and companion is his granddaughter, Snegurochka. This is a girl dressed in white clothes (or flowers reminiscent of frozen waters, which she symbolizes). The headdress of the granddaughter of Santa Claus is an eight-rayed crown, embroidered with silver and pearls.
11. A bag with presents- perhaps the only thing that Father Frost and Santa Claus invariably have in common. Only Santa Claus honestly, openly and solemnly enters houses, without any fuss he passes gifts from hand to hand or puts them under the tree, and Santa Claus secretly crawls through the chimney and hides gifts in stockings by the fireplace.
12. General form.
Santa Claus, despite his advanced age, is a tall, strong, cheerful and mighty hero. Santa is a short, plump, rosy, cheerful old man.
Differences between Father Frost (DM) and Santa Claus (SC):
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Message quote
FATHER FROST(Morozko) - a mighty Russian pagan God, a character in Russian legends, in Slavic legends - the personification of Russian winter frosts, a blacksmith who freezes water with ice, generously showering winter nature sparkling snowy silver, giving the joy of a winter festival, and, if necessary, in difficult times, protecting Russians from advancing enemies with hitherto unprecedented winter colds freezing into the ice, from which iron begins to break.
Morozko.
Under the influence of Christianity, which cruelly and bloodily fought against Slavic paganism (battle with religious competitors for profits), the original image of Snow Grandfather was distorted (like all other Slavic gods), and Morozko began to be represented as an evil and cruel pagan deity, the Great Old Man of the North, the ruler icy cold and blizzard that froze people. This was reflected in Nekrasov’s poem “Frost - Red Nose”, where Frost kills a poor young peasant widow in the forest, leaving her young children orphans.
As the influence of Christianity weakened in Russia at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, the image of Morozko began to soften. Santa Claus first appeared at Christmas in 1910, but did not become widespread.
IN Soviet time, after the rejection of the ideas of Christianity, a new image of Santa Claus was widespread: he appeared to children under New Year and gave gifts; this image was created by Soviet filmmakers in the 1930s.
In December 1935, Stalin's comrade-in-arms, member of the Presidium of the USSR Central Executive Committee, Pavel Postyshev, published an article in the Pravda newspaper in which he proposed organizing a New Year celebration for children. A children's New Year's party was organized in Kharkov. Some modern illiterate history researchers accuse Stalin of inconsistency for not destroying Father Frost, since Father Frost, in their opinion, is a “children’s god.”
He comes to the holiday with his divine granddaughter - Snow Maiden . Modern collective image Father Frost is based on the hagiography of St. Nicholas, as well as descriptions of the ancient Slavic deities Pozvizd, Zimnik and Korochun. Unfortunately, all ancient myths and tales of the Slavs were destroyed afterforced Christianization , therefore we know practically nothing about ancient Slavic beliefs and traditions (see."Problems of studying paganism in Rus'" ).
The peculiar nature of the interpretation in Christianity of pagan deities (religious competitors of Christianity, albeit beloved by the people, whom the clergy certainly represented as extremely evil and cruel) determined the behavior of Father Frost, inspired by the clergy - after the introduction of Christianity in Rus', he began to collect sacrifices - steal naughty children and take them to bag. This church interpretation made it possible to instill rejection of pagan gods from childhood.
However, over time, after the introduction of restrictions on the irreconcilable ideology of Christianity and the spread of later post-Christian humanistic traditions, especially after the final ban on Christians burning people at the stake (in the first quarter of the 19th century), Father Frost in the minds of the Russians became kinder and began to give gifts to children himself.
This image was finally formalized in the USSR: the ancient Slavic God Father Frost became a symbol of the most beloved folk holiday - New Year , which replaced the holiday of the Nativity of Christ (supposedly the birthday of the god of a foreign people from the Sinai desert), hitherto, with the full support of the authorities, imposed by the church on the people of Tsarist Russia for almost a whole millennium.
The professional holiday of Santa Clauses is celebrated every last Sunday in August.
Recently, November 18 was declared the birthday of the Russian Father Frost - according to long-term meteorological observations, on this day there is a stable snow cover in most of Russia. But this is nothing more than the current Russian commercial amateur activity, based on the Christian tradition of the Nativity of Christ. Of course, the great Slavic Gods do not and cannot have “birthdays,” for they are eternal and arose in the consciousness and beliefs of people back in the early Paleolithic at the very beginning of the post-glacial period, and perhaps even earlier.
About the ancient beliefs of the Slavs, about their four great solar holidays, incl. about the great two-week pagan New Year's Yule-Solstice, which marked the beginning of our modern New Year's holiday(which is simply a truncated Yule, from which now only the last and most magical 12th Night of Yule remains - our New Year's Eve), about the forced Christianization of the Slavs by the Varangian invaders-enslavers, about the destruction Slavic mythology(because now the Slavs do not have their own mythology) see on page. Maslenitsa and in the accompanying articles on p.Pantheon of Slavic gods , given after the "Dictionary of Slavic Gods".
Traditions
Santa Claus is our favorite Slavic God and fairy-tale wizard. From young to old, from one end to the other of the Russian land, every person is familiar with him.
Since ancient pre-Christian times, among the pagan Slavs, Father Frost has been the divine ruler of winter cold, snow and wind, frozen rivers and snowdrifts. Initially, he was presented as a powerful old man of enormous stature with a long gray beard. Harsh winters, in the understanding of our ancient Slavic ancestors, were the work of an old man with a staff. He was perceived as a powerful wizard with a rather stern character.
And now we love him winter patterns on the windows. He, of course, did not change his staff and the blizzard still lives in his beard. Still, the powerful old man freezes the rivers with ice and sweeps up impassable snowdrifts.
In Father Frost's wardrobe there are long fur coats of three colors: white, blue and red, on his gray-haired head there is a boyar's hat decorated with multi-colored crystals, in his hands he holds a staff and a bag of gifts. By old tradition he rides on three magnificent white horses, symbolizing the three winter months. Santa Claus is helped to do good deeds by his divine granddaughter, Snegurochka. Like all gods and wizards, Santa Claus can punish the evil and dishonest actions of the heroes of fairy tales, and help at the most desperate moment.
Unlike traditional Northern Europe Snow Queen, Santa Claus multiplies his magical power, not freezing people’s hearts, but, on the contrary, warming them with his love. Santa Claus always gives other characters the opportunity to correct their mistakes; the Snow Queen never helps the heroes of fairy tales in any way. Possessing the same power to freeze all life on earth, they are completely different in the temperature and kindness of their hearts. The heart of the Snow Queen is a piece of ice, and the Russian Father Frost brings us such kind warmth of his ancient pagan Slavic soul that it can only be compared with the warmth of the sun.
There are significant differences between our ancient Slavic Father Frost and the Western European Saint Nicholas (Santa Claus). Santa Claus is quite strict, but fair, as befits the beloved Slavic God. And there is no trace of greatness in Santa Claus. How else?!
Can you imagine a European asshole Santa in a remote Russian village? Imagine Santa blocking the ice on the rivers? Paving frosty snowy paths for travelers? Blowing snowdrifts? Who, in the most difficult circumstances, comes to the aid of his people who are losing their strength and, with hitherto unprecedented cold, freezes them into ice and turns invincible armies of invaders into dust, as he did with Napoleon’s army, and with Hitler’s army near Moscow and Stalingrad? Of course not! That’s why our great Russian pagan God, Father Frost, is always with us, no matter how hard the churchmen try to erase him from our Russian soul.
The twitchy Santa Claus is just a Western businessman and merchant: he has been appearing in Coca-Cola commercials since 1931. Our mighty Santa Claus, unlike our western neighbor, gives gifts to absolutely all children, and not just those who behaved well. And the size of Santa Claus's generous gifts is not limited to the size of the socks in which Santa Claus puts his gifts. The soul of our beloved Slavic God Father Frost is broad and generous. His goodness and beauty
divine granddaughter Snegurochka .And with every New Year's gift left under the Christmas tree for children and adults, the power of Santa Claus grows and Goodness on earth increases.
Santa Claus and the Russian Orthodox Church
Russian attitude Orthodox Church to Santa Claus is ambiguous, on the one hand, as a pagan deity and wizard (God of another religion, which means a religious competitor, contradicting Christian teaching), and on the other hand, as an invincible Russian cultural tradition, with which to fight is only to disgrace yourself and reveal your weakness.
In 2001, Bishop Maximilian (Lazarenko) of Vologda and Veliky Ustyug stated that the Russian Orthodox Church would support the project “Veliky Ustyug - the Homeland of Father Frost” only if Father Frost was baptized.
Such a statement by the Orthodox hierarch is generated by a complete misunderstanding of the essence of the phenomenon - it is absurd for the powerful and formidable Russian pagan God to be baptized into believers later than the alien Byzantine monotheistic religion that came to Rus'. Thus, the Russian Orthodox Church, in its current unbridled pride, will want to baptize the ancient Greek Zeus, and at the same time - Allah, Buddha and all other gods of other religions, in order to collect its profits not only from the Orthodox, but also from other believers. Mastering the famous New Year's brand would allow the Russian Orthodox Church to further increase its income.
However, precisely for gross violations of basic Christian truths and the indiscriminate, exorbitant greed in acquisition, the modern Russian Orthodox Church has been declared a rogue Church in the Christian world. But the leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church, who became the owners of personal billions of dollars in post-Soviet times, are not too worried about this situation. After the further growth of the Russian Orthodox Church into power, you see, we will see the baptism of Father Frost and the Snow Maiden into Orthodoxy, shameful for the Russian Orthodox Church. Then the Russian Orthodox Church, which has now become richer than Gazprom, will have access to another source of its already considerable income.
Veliky Ustyug is the current “business homeland of Father Frost”
On the initiative of Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, the tourism business project “Veliky Ustyug - the birthplace of Father Frost” has been operating in the Vologda region since 1999. Tourist trains go to Veliky Ustyug from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Vologda, and specialized bus travel has been developed.
In the first three years (from 1999 to 2002), the number of tourists visiting the city of Veliky Ustyug increased from 2 thousand to 32 thousand. According to the Governor of the Vologda Region Vyacheslav Pozgalev, since the beginning of the project, more than a million letters from children from various countries have been sent to Santa Claus, and trade turnover in the city has increased 15 times and unemployment has decreased.
Veliky Ustyug. The patrimony of Santa Claus in summer.
The patrimony of Santa Claus in winter.
The patrimony of Santa Claus in winter.
Gate to the estate of Father Frost.
Ded Moroz and Snegurochka.
Hall in the mansion of Father Frost.
Pie oven in the domain of Father Frost.
The Snow Maiden's house in the estate of Father Frost.
Interior of a hotel in the estate of Father Frost.
Gift shop in the estate of Father Frost.
Father Frost - the formidable and omnipotent Russian pagan God - appeared with us a very long time ago (not like the Western clown asshole Santa Claus). This is a really existing spirit, which, by the way, is still alive today.
Twice, saving Rus' from a fierce advancing enemy, when the Russian people had already lost in fierce battles last strength, and the enemy was approaching Moscow, the hitherto cheerful Russian Father Frost turned into the stern, invincible General Frost and came to the rescue. And the two most powerful armies in the world at that time (Napoleon and Hitler) were mercilessly turned to dust by General Frost and frozen into ice by hitherto unprecedented cold weather.
If something happens now, the Western stupid Christian Santa will not come to save the Russians.
Once upon a time, even before the advent of Christianity in Rus', our ancestors believed that the spirits of the dead protected their family, took care of the offspring of livestock and good weather. Therefore, to reward them for their care, people gave them gifts every winter.
On the eve of the holiday, village youth put on masks, turned out their sheepskin coats and went from house to house, singing carols. Different regions had their own characteristics of caroling. The owners presented the carolers with food.
The meaning was precisely that the carolers represented the spirits of ancestors who received a reward for their tireless care of the living. Among the carolers there was often one “person” dressed more terribly than anyone else. As a rule, he was forbidden to speak. This was the oldest and most formidable spirit; he was often called simply Grandfather. It is quite possible that this is the prototype of the modern Santa Claus.
Only today, of course, he has become kinder and does not come for gifts, but brings them himself. With the adoption of Christianity, the pagan rituals of the church that came from Byzantium to Rus' were “abolished,” but they still exist to this day.
The carolers depict not the spirits of their ancestors, but heavenly messengers, which, you see, is practically the same thing. It’s already difficult to say who should be considered Grandfather, but there is still an “elder”.
Master of Winter
According to another version, the “great-great-grandfather” of the modern Russian Father Frost was the hero of Russian folk tales Morozko or Red Nose Frost, the master of weather, winter and frost. Initially he was called Grandfather Treskun and was represented as a little old man with long beard and a temper as harsh as Russian frosts. From November to March, Grandfather Treskun was the sovereign master on earth. Even the sun was afraid of him! He was married to a despicable person - Winter. Father Treskun or Father Frost was also identified with the first month of the year - mid-winter - January. The first month of the year is cold and cold - the king of frosts, the root of winter, its sovereign. It is strict, icy, icy, it’s time for snowmen. People also talk about January like this: fireman and jelly, snowman and cracker, fierce and fierce.
Cool temperament
In Russian fairy tales, Father Frost is portrayed as the eccentric, strict, but fair spirit of winter. Remember, for example, the fairy tale "Morozko". Morozko froze and froze the kind, hardworking girl, and then gave her a gift, but he froze the evil and lazy girl to death. Therefore, in order to avoid troubles, some northern peoples and now they appease old man Frost - on festive nights they throw cakes and meat over the threshold of their homes, pour out wine so that the spirit does not get angry, does not interfere with the hunt, or destroys the crops.
Appearance
Santa Claus was represented as a gray-haired old man with a floor-length beard, wearing a long thick fur coat, felt boots, a hat, mittens, and with a staff with which he froze people.
Location
It is difficult to say unambiguously where the Russian Father Frost lives, since there are a lot of legends. Some claim that Santa Claus comes from the North Pole, others say from Lapland. Only one thing is clear, Santa Claus lives somewhere in the Far North, where it is winter all year round. Although in V.F. Odoevsky’s fairy tale “Moroz Ivanovich”, Frost’s red nose moves into the well in the spring, where “even in the summer it’s cold.”
Snow Maiden
Later, Santa Claus had a granddaughter, Snow Maiden orSnow Maiden , the heroine of many Russian fairy tales, a snow girl. And Santa Claus himself has changed: he began to bring children gifts for the New Year and fulfill their innermost desires.
As you can see, the origin of the Russian Father Frost is fundamentally different from the European Santa Claus. If Santa Claus was a real historical figure who was elevated to the rank of saint for his good deeds, then the Russian Father Frost is a pagan almighty God, a character folk beliefs and fairy tales.
Although modern look Santa Claus was already formed under the influence of European New Year's character, most of the characteristic Russian features remain. To this day, the Russian Grandfather Frost walks around in a long fur coat, felt boots and with a staff. He prefers to travel on foot, by air, or on a sleigh pulled by a fast troika. His constant companion is his granddaughter Snegurochka. Santa Claus plays the game "I'll Freeze" with the children and hides them in New Year's Eve gifts under the tree.
History of Christian Santa Claus
The prototype of Western European Santa Claus was Saint Nicholas, who was born in the 3rd century in the city of Patara (Asia Minor, Lycia) to very wealthy parents. Saint Nicholas is one of the most revered Christian saints. This honor fell to him for his great kindness to people and for the many miracles he performed. Later, he became a bishop in the city of Myra (now Demre, a small town near Phenicia), so he received the name Myra. In this town they even erected a monument to him. In some countries they say that St. Nicholas threw wallets filled with gold into the houses of the poor, and many believe that the saint threw the wallets through the chimney, and they ended up in shoes, which were left to dry by the fireplace.
Therefore, in many Western European countries, it is still customary today to hide New Year’s gifts, especially for children, in boots, slippers, or slippers. European settlers who settled in America in the 7th and 18th centuries brought with them the legends about St. Nicholas. One of the first churches built in what was then New York was Sinter Klaas or Sint Nicholas, later called "Santa Claus".
Where was Santa Claus born?
The modern image of the good-natured, fat Santa Claus appeared in the United States relatively recently, on Christmas Day 1822. It was then that Clement Clarke Moore wrote the poem “The Coming of St. Nicholas,” in which the Saint appeared as a cheerful and cheerful elf with a round, tight belly, indicating a passion for delicious food, and with a smoking pipe. As a result of his reincarnation, Saint Nicholas got off the donkey, acquired eight deer, and had a bag of gifts in his hands.
Where does Santa Claus live?
Many northern countries are still debating where Santa Claus lives. Some believe that he lives at the Serer Pole, others believe that he settled in the town of Rovaniemi in northern Finland. In modern Finland there is even a special service for answering on behalf of Santa Claus, and this is understandable, because... On average, in December he receives up to 80 thousand letters from children from different countries with requests and wishes.
The English word Santa Claus comes from the nickname Sinterklaas (from the word "ash") of St. Nicholas (in Orthodox tradition Nicholas the Pleasant) were the first Dutch settlers in America. He was considered the patron saint of sailors and children, for whom he prepared gifts all year, and on Christmas night he delivered them and left them in stockings prepared for gifts. True, this began to be considered later, and among the Dutch Sinterklaas was, rather, a stern teacher, for he poured ash into the stockings of those children who did not behave as they should.
The main Christmas character gained particular popularity after the American professor of Greek and Oriental literature Clement Clark MOORE in 1822 wrote a poem for his children for the holiday about St. Nicholas, who appears on the night before Christmas, when even mice fall asleep, and goes down the chimney with a bag full of gifts to leave for the children. In a fur coat, with a white beard and a red nose, he rides around on a team of eight reindeer, and his approach can be recognized by the creaking of runners and the melodious ringing of bells tied to the reindeer necks.
The poem quickly spread and became popular, which somewhat offended the professor, since he was very serious and did not approve of the fun that the Christmas celebration had turned into.
And about forty years later, caricaturist Thomas Nast drew Santa Claus, and the image became complete: a red fur coat and headdress, a wide leather belt and sparkling black boots.
Russian Father Frost looks different, and his history goes back to the ancient pagan gods, to Morozko from Slavic folklore. Father Frost is the pagan God of our ancient Slavic ancestors. He is from those ancient times when no Christianity existed in the world.
If Santa Claus is more like a gnome, then Father Frost is a giant, a hero, who patrols his possessions every winter, freezes rivers and lakes with ice, and, at the same time, gives gifts to children. Its peculiarity is that before presenting a gift, you often ask to perform something for yourself, recite a poem, sing a song, dance, solve a riddle. This is not out of greed - it’s just that his broad soul asks for joy. But for the voiceless, legless, and suffering from sclerosis, everything pays off in the fact that our Grandfather has a Snow Maiden - she not only always gives gifts, but can also kiss.
Features of Russian Santa Claus
Father Frost (Morozko).
External features Santa Claus and his unchanging attributes are as follows:
1. Santa Claus wears a very warm hat with fur trim. Attention: no bombs or brushes!
2. Santa Claus's nose is usually red. (No bad analogies! It’s just VERY COLD in the far north! And the divine Grandfather is not afraid of alcohol.) But the blue nose option is also allowed due to the snow-ice origin of Grandfather.
3. Santa Claus has a beard right down to the floor. White and fluffy like snow.
4. Grandfather Frost wears a long thick fur coat. Initially, the color of the fur coat was white; then, at the very beginning of the twentieth century, it became blue and cold; in Soviet times it changed to “revolutionary” red, which is completely stupid in relation to the pagan God. On this moment Two options are allowed - white and, as a last resort, blue.
5. Santa Claus hides his hands in huge three-fingered mittens.
6. Santa Claus never wears belts and usually does not tie his fur coat with a sash. His fur coat has internal fastenings. The sash appeared already in the twentieth century.
7. Santa Claus prefers exclusively felt boots. And it’s not surprising, because at - 50 gr. With (usual northern air temperature) in boots, even the Snow Master's feet will freeze.
8. Santa Claus always has a magic staff with him. Firstly, to make it easier to get through the snowdrifts. And secondly, according to legend, Santa Claus, while still a “wild Morozko,” used this very staff to “freeze” people.
9. A bag of gifts is a later attribute of the Master of Winter. Many children believe that he is bottomless. In any case, Santa Claus never lets anyone near the bag, but takes gifts out of it himself. He does this without looking, but he always guesses who is waiting for what gift - that’s why he and God.
10. Santa Claus moves on foot or on a sleigh drawn by a troika, or instantly moves in a mysterious divine way, which we are not given to know about. He also likes to cross his native lands skiing. There are no recorded cases of Santa Claus using reindeer - they are too small for our mighty God.
11. The most important difference between the Russian Father Frost is his constant companion, his granddaughter Snegurochka. This is understandable: alone and in the far north, where there are only seals and penguins, you can die of boredom! And it’s more fun with my granddaughter.
P.S. And Santa Claus never wears glasses or smokes a pipe! God has everything in order with both his eyes and his habits.
The origin of New Year's Grandfathers of different nations
In some countries, the ancestors of the fairy-tale New Year's character are considered to be local gnomes, in others - medieval wandering jugglers who sang Christmas songs, or wandering sellers of children's toys.
The ancestor of our modern Russian Father Frost is the East Slavic spirit of cold Treskun, aka Studenets, Frost. The image of our Santa Claus has evolved over centuries, and each time has added something of its own to it.
Among the ancestors of the Western European New Year's elder Santa Claus (but not our Father Frost!) there was also a very real person. In the 4th century, Archbishop Nicholas lived in the Turkish city of Myra. According to legend, it was very a kind person. So, one day he saved three little daughters of a poor family by throwing bundles of gold coins through the window of their house. After the death of Nicholas, he was declared a saint. In the 11th century, the church where he was buried was robbed by Italian pirates. They stole the remains of the saint and took them to their homeland. The parishioners of the Church of St. Nicholas were outraged. erupted international scandal. This story caused so much noise that Nicholas became the object of veneration and worship of Christians from different countries of the world.
In the Middle Ages, the custom of giving gifts to children on St. Nicholas Day, December 19, was firmly established, because this is what the saint himself did. After the introduction of the new calendar, the saint began to come to children at Christmas, and then on New Year. Everywhere the good old man is called differently, in England and America - Santa Claus, and here - Father Frost.
The European Santa Claus costume also did not appear immediately. At first he was depicted wearing a cloak. By the beginning of the 19th century, the Dutch depicted him as a slender pipe smoker, skillfully cleaning chimneys through which he threw gifts to children. At the end of the same century, he was dressed in a red fur coat trimmed with fur. In 1860 American artist Thomas Knight adorned Santa Claus with a beard, and soon the Englishman Tenniel created the image of a good-natured fat man. We are all very familiar with this Santa Claus.
Who is he - ours old friend and the all-powerful good wizard Russian Father Frost?
Our Frost is a pagan God and a character in Slavic folklore. For many generations, the Eastern Slavs created and preserved a kind of “oral chronicle”: prosaic legends, epic tales, ritual songs, legends and tales about the past of their native land.
The Eastern Slavs have a fabulous image of Moroz - a hero, a blacksmith who binds water with “iron frosts”. Frosts themselves were often identified with violent winter winds. There are several folk tales where the North Wind (or Frost) helps lost travelers by showing them the way.
Our Santa Claus is a special image. It is reflected in ancient Slavic legends (Karachun, Pozvizd, Zimnik), Russian folk tales, folklore, Russian literature (A.N. Ostrovsky's play "The Snow Maiden", N.A. Nekrasov's poem "Frost, Red Nose", V.Ya. Bryusov's poem "To the King of the North Pole", the Karelian-Finnish epic "Kalevala").
Pozvizd - Slavic god storms and bad weather. As soon as he shook his head, large hail fell to the ground. Instead of a cloak, the winds dragged behind him, and snow fell in flakes from the hem of his clothes. Pozvizd swiftly rushed across the skies, accompanied by a retinue of storms and hurricanes.
In the legends of the ancient Slavs there was another character - Zimnik. He, like Frost, appeared in the form of an old man of small stature, with white hair and a long gray beard, with his head uncovered, in warm white clothes and with an iron mace in his hands. Wherever it passes, expect severe cold.
Among the Slavic deities, Karachun stood out for his ferocity - evil spirit, shortening life. The ancient Slavs considered him an underground god who commanded frost.
But over time, Frost changed. Severe, in the company of the Sun and Wind, walking the earth and freezing to death the men he met along the way (in Belarusian fairy tale“Frost, Sun and Wind”), he gradually turns from a formidable man into a fair and kind grandfather.
And yet, let's try to determine the main features of the appearance of Russian Father Frost that correspond to both historical and modern ideas about this fairy-tale wizard. According to one of the researchers of the image of Father Frost - candidate of historical sciences, art critic and ethnologist Svetlana Vasilyevna Zharnikova - the traditional appearance of Father Frost, according to ancient mythology and symbolism of color, suggests:
The beard and hair are thick, long and gray (silver). These details of appearance, in addition to their “physiological” meaning (he is an old god - gray-haired, but full of divine power and energy), also have a huge symbolic character, denoting power, happiness, prosperity and wealth. Surprisingly, hair is the only detail of the appearance that has not undergone any significant changes over the millennia.
The shirt and trousers are white, linen, decorated with white geometric patterns (a symbol of purity). This detail was almost lost in modern idea about the suit. Performers of the role of Santa Claus and costume designers prefer to cover the performer's neck with a white scarf (which is acceptable). As a rule, they don’t pay attention to the trousers or they are sewn in red to match the color of the fur coat (a terrible mistake!)
The fur coat is long (ankle-length), always silver (entirely embroidered with patterns of silver threads), in extreme cases, blue, embroidered with silver (eight-pointed stars, geese and other traditional patterns), trimmed with swan down. A fur coat of red "revolutionary" color appeared during Soviet power. Some modern theatrical costumes, alas, they sin with experiments in the field color range and replacement of materials. Surely many people have seen a gray-haired wizard in a green fur coat. If so, know that this is not Santa Claus, but one of his many “younger brothers.” If the fur coat is short (the lower leg is open) or has pronounced buttons, this means that you are looking at a costume of Santa Claus, Pere Noel or one of the other foreign brothers of Father Frost. But replacing swan down with white fur, although not desirable, is still acceptable.
The hat matches the color of the fur coat, embroidered with silver and pearls. Trimmed with swan down (or white fur) with a triangular cutout made on the front part (stylized horns). The shape of the hat is a semi-oval (the round shape of the hat is traditional for Russian tsars, just remember the headdress of Ivan the Terrible). In addition to the imposing attitude towards color described above, theater costume designers In modern times, they have tried to diversify the decoration and shape of Santa Claus's headdress. The following “inaccuracies” are typical: replacement of pearls with glass diamonds and semi-precious stones (permissible), lack of a cutout behind the trim (not desirable, but very common), a hat of the correct semicircular shape (this is Vladimir Monomakh) or a cap (Santa Claus), a pompom (he same).
Three-fingered gloves or mittens - white, embroidered with silver - a symbol of the purity and holiness of everything that he gives from his hands. Three-fingered fingers have been a symbol of belonging to the highest divine principle since the Neolithic. What symbolic meaning modern red mittens carry is unknown.
The belt (permissible, but undesirable) is white with an ornament to match the color of a long fur coat (a symbol of the connection between ancestors and descendants). Nowadays, it has been preserved as an element of costume, having completely lost its symbolic meaning and the corresponding color scheme. It's a pity...
Shoes - white felt boots embroidered with silver (or, in extreme cases, boots embroidered with silver with a raised toe, the heel is slanted, small in size or completely absent). On a frosty day, Father Frost always puts on white felt boots embroidered with silver. White color and silver - symbols of the moon, holiness, north, water and purity. It is by shoes that you can distinguish a real Santa Claus from a “fake” one.
A more or less professional performer of the role of Santa Claus will never go out to the public in boots or black boots! As a last resort, he will try to find at least red dancing boots or ordinary black felt boots (which is also very undesirable).
The staff is crystal or silver plated to look like crystal. The handle is twisted, also silver-white in color, without a hook-shaped pommel. The staff is completed with a moon (a stylized image of the month) or a bull's head (a symbol of power, fertility and happiness). These days it is difficult to find a staff that matches these descriptions. The imagination of decorative artists and props makers almost completely changed its outline.
You can often hear that Father Frost and Santa Claus are one and the same. However, Santa Claus has several important differences from Santa Claus, which are due to historical, literary, and often geographical, as well as climatic factors. So, what are the external differences between Father Frost and Santa!
1. Color of clothes! - Santa Claus has a long blue sheepskin coat, he is belted with a sash, a hat on his head, felt boots on his feet, mittens on his hands, and a staff in his hands. - Santa has a red jacket and belt, a cap and boots, gloves, and a pipe in his hands.
Santa Claus can also be in red, but at the same time he can wear other clothes - in general, it is desirable that it be white, blue, maybe it can be yellow or green. Also, the robe of the real Santa Claus is not covered with a solid color - it is diluted with patterns, embroidery, trim (white or blue), etc.
And in Santa Claus’ clothes the aggressive solid red color predominates (exclusively this one!), and only the edge of his jacket is sometimes white.
The color of the clothes is red: This is hardly a Russian Grandfather!
From history: The traditional clothing of Russian Father Frost is white, embroidered with silver thread ("frost" patterns). In late tsarist times ( late XIX- beginning of the 20th century) clothes of “cold” blue color, embroidered with silver thread, and yellow, embroidered with “golden” thread appeared.
After the proletarian revolution of 1917, red clothes appeared (to match the color of the international proletarian flag), embroidered with silver thread.
After the 1960s, the Muslim peoples of the USSR began to occasionally wear green clothes, also embroidered with patterns, for Santa Claus.
Modern traditions of Father Frost's robes: It is desirable that it be real silver - white, almost entirely embroidered with silver patterns. Santa Claus can be in a red or blue robe embroidered with patterns. It is acceptable for it to be “golden” - yellow, embroidered with “golden” threads.
The robe of a real Santa Claus does not cover a solid color - it is necessarily diluted with patterns, embroidery, trim (white or blue), etc.
The clothes of the alien Santa Claus are dominated by an aggressive solid red color (exclusively this one!), and only the edge of his pathetic jacket is sometimes white.
The red robes of Father Frost were introduced in Soviet times as ideologically consistent with the color of the international proletarian revolutionary red flag. This is ridiculous. Santa Claus - ancient pagan god our ancestors from very long “pre-proletarian” times.
2. Cap! The most typical distinguishing feature! - Real Grandfather Frost can NEVER be in a cap - he is wearing a boyar's hat. - And Santa Claus is wearing a jester’s cap with a pompom, like a prankster gnome, which immediately gives him a frivolity and parody atypical for Santa Claus.
When you see the cap, be sure: it is the enemy!
3. Outerwear. - Santa Claus wears a short jacket (sometimes just below the waist, sometimes up to the waist), tied with a belt. Below the sweatshirt are red pants. Remember that the true Father Frost would never be able to endure our Russian winter in such mocking clothes. - Santa Claus should have a long fur coat reaching to the ground, from under which no pants should be visible. The sight of pants sticking out from under a short fur coat destroys all respectability. What Santa Claus wears under his fur coat is sacred and cannot be put on display!
If you saw Grandfather wearing pants, know: this Grandfather is not from our country!
4. Shoes, mittens, belt. - Santa Claus always wears boots, often of a short type, which is again ridiculous for our climate. - Santa Claus should only have felt boots!
If Grandfather is wearing boots, you know that enemies wear them!
Santa Claus has warm mittens on his hands, Santa Claus has light gloves.
Mittens are good for autumn, but in cold weather it is better to wear mittens. The classic image requires that the mittens be three-fingered white, embroidered with silver - a symbol of the purity and holiness of everything that he gives from his hands. Three-fingered fingers have been a symbol of belonging to the highest divine principle since the Neolithic.
Santa Claus has a white belt; or with a trim to match the color of the fur coat. Santa Claus has a belt with a buckle. (Maybe demobilization? :-))
Again - the difference in climate. In the cold, the leather belt will simply crack. And how can you fasten the buckle in mittens?
5. Beard. - Santa Claus's beard is cut short, like that of a civilized old man, and also curly, like that of a lamb from a children's postcard. Curly skipper beard! - All this is absolutely not typical for Santa Claus. Santa Claus's beard is wild, long, tousled by the free wind, and in most cases it lacks any sweet curliness.
Is Grandfather's beard short? Trouble threatens the nation!
6. Growth and volume. From all the previous rants, in general, it is clear that Santa Claus is indecently small in height. And Santa Claus is impressive in stature, like the true ruler of the New Year! As for volume, Santa Claus is quite skinny. Well, his clothes are crap, just for the sake of formality. But in accordance with the Russian winter, Santa Claus wears a lot of warm clothes, and all the clothes are real, fur, thick. So Santa Claus is also impressive in terms of volume!
If Grandfather is skinny and petty - boldly drive him away!
Sometimes it happens that in terms of volume, Santa Claus, on the contrary, goes to the opposite extreme and becomes fat and round. But remember that his thickness always looks unnatural and caricatured, while all the proportions of Santa Claus are always harmonious, and his thickness never conflicts with his height.
7. Glasses. Also, such a sign of culture as glasses is typical for Santa Claus. Santa Claus does not have this characteristic. How can this all-powerful spirit of Nature - Santa Claus - have such a disadvantage as myopia?! Myopia is inherent only to those who are spoiled by a destructive civilization, who are tamed and domesticated to the point of complete degeneration, as happened with Santa Claus.
8. Snow Maiden. Same hallmark. Santa Claus never had and never will have a granddaughter, because his prototype is St. Nicholas, almost like any saint, was chaste. And our natural Grandfather has a granddaughter, this is everyone’s favorite Snow Maiden! So there are two of us, and there is only one Santa Claus! The Snow Maiden is the granddaughter of Father Frost and accompanies him everywhere. The image of the Snow Maiden is a symbol of frozen waters. This is a girl dressed only in white clothes (or colors reminiscent of frozen water). The headdress of the granddaughter of Santa Claus is an eight-rayed crown, embroidered with silver and pearls.
Santa sometimes still has Mrs. Santa Claus, but she is hardly visible.
9. Staff. - Please note: Santa Claus’s staff is the standard staff of a Catholic bishop (for it is not for nothing that Santa Claus comes from St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra): a stick with a curved top.
But Santa Claus has nothing to do with St. Nicholas has nothing to do with it, so his staff should only be a straight stick; it could have a round knob (or at least in the shape of a star; the staff should never be rounded).
10. Deer. - Only Santa Claus moves, as the Americans teach us in their movies and cartoons, on reindeer across the sky.
Reindeer have never been Santa Claus's mode of transportation. For our Grandfather, the deer is too small and weak. Santa Claus can ride on a Russian troika, not in the sky, but quite on the ground, or rather on the snow - he is flesh of the flesh of this snow, this earth, this nature, why should he tear himself away from his native roots, snow fluttering from under the runners dust, frosty wind blows in the face, Santa Claus rolls with daring and bells! The dashing troika is rushing across the Russian Earth - then the owner of Winter, Grandfather Frost, is driving around his endless domain! And Grandfather Frost also skis!!! A real athlete!
But in general, as already mentioned, Santa Claus moves in a mystical way, and there is no point in meddling with sacred matters.
11. Socks on the fireplace. - This applies only to Santa Claus, but not to Father Frost. Socks on the fireplace are a purely Western gadget: supposedly Santa Claus comes down the chimney and puts a gift in the sock. However, what to explain - a fool understands that there have never been any fireplaces in Rus'. And our Grandfather won’t fit into some narrow fireplace, why would he? Moreover, Santa Claus would never have appeared among us in such a primitive and mundane way as they did: “Penetrating into the house through pipes and windows, he puts gifts in stockings, most often hung on the fireplace, and jingles his bells, as if announcing about the coming of the New Year."
Santa Claus appears in our homes in some mystical way, truly like a spirit, no one really knows how he appears - we only know that he WAS... And trying to explain this sacred secret in a rational way in the Western manner is blasphemy.
And further. Our Father Frost is a real generous Russian soul, he is not so wretched and stingy as to limit his gift to the size of an idiotic and, most often, striped sock!
12. Other accompanying paraphernalia – all sorts of wreaths, bells, etc., including “Jingle Bells” songs and others. This is all purely Christmas paraphernalia and is associated only with Santa Claus, and all this Western consumer goods should not be attributed to the image of Father Frost.
13. Other very important differences:
Father Frost is much older than Santa Claus, whose modern image was created by the American writer Clement Clark Moore, who described him in detail appearance and habits in his poem "The Night Before Christmas" in the early 19th century. - Santa Claus holds a pipe in his mouth - he smokes!!! (V Lately This detail is becoming increasingly rare). Santa Claus leads a healthy lifestyle and does not smoke.
Marinka Picture
