Santa Replaces Christ

ANKARA, Turkey — Some residents of a Turkish town were horrified by the decision to install a Santa Claus statue, replete with cotton-candy beard and red-and-white outfit, in place of a more solemn sculpture of St. Nicholas that was a gift from the Orthodox Christian community, and featured him with a halo and an open bible. St. Nicholas served as bishop of Demre in the 4th century A.D. From there, the legend of his generosity spread around the world and became interwoven with mythical stories of the jolly gift-bringer. For many Orthodox Christian Russians, St. Nicholas is an object of deep veneration rather than the father Christmas known to millions around the world.

The Santa character later took on the white beard of the pagan god Odin and Odin's eight-legged flying horse became eight reindeer. The ability to enter houses down the chimney comes from an old Norse legend, and the tradition of leaving him cookies and milk is derived from a medieval German tale. In the 12th century, French nuns began to give gifts in St. Nicholas' name on his feast day, Dec. 6. St. Nicholas gift-giving was later blended with the three wise men bearing gifts for the newborn Jesus and associated with Christmas. The image of today's Santa is a product of Coca-Cola commercials in the 1930s. And Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer, was created for an ad campaign for the Montgomery Ward department store chain.

Less than half of British children between the ages of seven and 11 are aware that Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus, according to a BBC poll published on Tuesday. Just 44% of 1,063 children questioned understood that Christmas returns each year for the birth of Christ. Among the children questioned, 29% said Christmas was primarily about thinking of others, while 24% said it more about giving than receiving presents

• JJ Commentary: That’s the devil’s way, twist the truth, twist it some more until finally we are left with a pagan fairy tale to replace saints and Christ.