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Christmas and American Pop Culture

Looking at Christmas through the lens of American pop culture, and discussing "Christmas" as a genre and a venue of social commentary.

The Image of Santa

Throughout the years, the image of the modern day Santa Claus has been cobbled together through the folklore of various cultures, including English, Greek, Dutch, Belgian, and German. The tradtions we associate with Christmas are a combination of Christian and Pagan ideology, fusing together the birth of christ and the pagan traditons of Yule.

Prior to the 20th century each of these cultures and rituals had their own visual interpretation of Santa. With the proliferation of mass media, and with the assitance of 20th century advertising, that image coalesced into the Santa we know today: Red Suit, Big Belly, White beard, etc.

Odin is a central figure of the pagan winter festival of yule. The Traditions of Yule centered mostly around feasting, drinking, warmth, merriment, and animal sacrifice. It would make sense that hunting and making fires would be a good thing to celebrate in cold winter months.

With a long white beard and flowing blue robes, Odin would ride through the sky on his eight footed horse during an event known as The Wild Hunt.

When the Romans spread their influence in starting in the 4th century, these traditions fuse with Christmas celebrations

St Nicolas was a Greek Saint who lived in 3rd-4th Century AD. He was famously known for giving gifts and helping the needy (including discretely throwing bags of coins down chimneys). His image, as depcited here in a 15th century Russian Icon, begins to form the basis of the Santa Claus folklore.

A man portrayed as Sinterklaus, the Dutch figure who gives out presents on Saint Nicholas' Day (Dec. 5)

Victorian presentations of the Englsih figure "Father Christmas"

Thomas Nast creates what is thought to be the first "modern" interpretation of Santa Claus for Harper's Weekly in 1862

The Cover of Puck Magazine depicts Santa as we recognize him today

Did you know?

The Coca Cola company Famously used Santa Claus in a series of succesful ad campaigns in the 1930's, created by the Artist Haddon Sundblom. Many people credit the campaign's use throughout the years as a means to cement a singular depecition of Santa Claus' image. It was so successful, that some falsely Coca Cola for creating Santa Claus, and that his red and white suit is merely just good corporate synergy. In fact, Santa Claus had been used in advertisements prior to this time, but not nearly to the international success enjoyed by Coke.

Ads for White Rock Mineral Water depicting Santa Claus from the 1910's

Christmas on Tv

With Christmas becoming a time where a regular schedule is disrupted, and lesiure time is increased signifigantly. Christmas themed media became a regular sign of the times.

With people's TV viewing habits easily disrupted by the season's events, and with event programming like football playoffs, college bowls, New Year's specials, and the State of the Union address, regularly scheduled programming is halted by broadcast networks, and usually replaced with Holiday-themed programming. Some of these programs have become holiday traditions.

In 1964, The Rankin-Bass company created Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, the first of many stop motion christmas specials that they would create. While some have cycled in and out of favor, rudolph has aired every year since it's inception?

Why do you think Rudolph has such a lasting appeal?

The following year, The Charlie Brown Christmas Special would air. The Special has also every year since its premier, and has a melancholy tone that differs from many of the other specials that appear during this time. What also stands out is it's use of Jazz music as opposed to traditional carols. According to the artists quoted in the piece linked above, this helps the Charlie Brown special broaden its appeal.

In 1966, a new staple emerged in the form of The Grinch that Stole Christmas, adapted form the Dr. Seuss book of the Same name. It's interesting to note that animation pioneer Chuck Jones (who's better known for bringing Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck to life) helped create this short, funny special.

A Christmas Story didn't start out as TV special, but that's where it found its longevity. Considered a failure at the time of its release, it received a new life when it began airing on television. Currently, it runs for 24 hours straight on either TNT or TBS, starting at 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve. This house where the exteriors were filmed is now an interactive museum piece in Cleveland, OH.

The "Christmas" movie

Christmas themed movies carry so many similar tropes and story notes, Christmas is practically it's own genre.

Themes of family, humility, sacrifice, charity, and the power of belief are often found in Christmas movies of all kinds.

However, some movies are become associated with Christmas simply because the events of the film take palce during the holidays, and modern filmmakers have used the setting of Christmas as a juxtaposition to action. As a result, certain movies have become part of the Chirstmas canon without relating to any of the above themes.

While Holiday Inn is not as popular as it was when it was released. It stands as one of the earliest Christmas themed films to stand the test of time. It's also the movie that brings the song "White Christmas" to popular culture, and Bing Crosby's version is still considered the definitive version.

It's a Wonderful Life is a Chirstmas staple created in the 1940's. The director, Frank Capra, was once referred to as "the living embodiment of the American Dream." His story about a man re-assesing his life on Christmas Eve with the help of an angel, is the inspiration mold for many "Christmas" movies.