Are you ever curious on how we come to celebrate Christmas with a Christmas tree?  There seem to be plenty of references leading to Christmas and many aspects of its tradition such as gift giving, Santa Claus, and the wreaths as originating from pagan traditions preceding Christianity in the Old World.

I suppose that it makes sense that Christmas has roots from the beliefs of people that were previously non-Christian and after they’ve been converted, some of their practices and traditions were too strong to simply just let go.  Hence, these traditions have evolved as part of what we know as Christmas today.

Christmas Tree Invented by Saint Boniface

Within the tenets of Christianity, it seems that the Christmas tree originated from Saint Boniface, the patron saint of Germany.  The story goes that St. Bonaface felled the sacred Oak of Thor after which Thor was suppose to strike him down for his insolence.  He was not stricken down.  Instead, a young fir tree sprung from the fallen oak and St. Bonaface claimed it as the new holy tree for Christ.

From there, the Christmas tree became the symbol of Christ for the German tribes.  Over the years, it became a universal symbol for Christmas.  It is also the reason why fir Christmas trees remain the standard today.

What comes to mind when you think of Christmas?

Mine is simple. Santa Claus in a sleigh!

And I grew up in the Philippines where there are no snow for us to even learn about sleighs.

Santa Claus Ornaments are everywhere during Christmas

It is no surprise that kids all over the Western world recognize Santa. Whenever Christmas comes along, he’s all over the place.

As a child in the Philippines, we had plenty of Santa Claus ornaments. I was still a child when we came to the US and, of course, he’s all over the place here. His pictures and posters were all over the stores. Some of the best TV Christmas specials were about Santa.

Remember, Christmas is for the young (and the young at heart).

Below is an article that gives an insight on how Santa has become a dominant figure in American pop culture.
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Santa Claus Magazine Covers by Jessica Vandelay

St. Nicholas was a real saint, a 4th century bishop from Asia Minor known for his generosity; in early December he visited homes and left gifts for children by the fireplace. Moore?s poem tweaked the Dutch St. Nicholas and brought the figure of Santa Claus into the American psyche.

By 1863, Santa Claus made his first magazine appearance in the political magazine Harper?s Weekly. Influential political cartoonist Thomas Nast’s drew Santa as the fat, jolly, bearded, and red-suited figure that still holds today. From the 1860s to the ’80s, he drew a special cartoon every year for the Christmas edition of Harper’s Weekly, which was the first American magazine to achieve national circulation. The magazine was a political magazine published from 1857-1916 by Harper & Brothers in New York City. The magazine ran a variety of articles on subjects such as foreign and domestic news, humor, essays and fiction.

Nast’s first depiction of Santa appeared in the magazine at the personal request of President Abraham Lincoln, to show Santa visiting U.S. troops in the war zone. Nast established Santa’s North Pole address, along with the army of elves making toys, in his 1885 cartoon.

At the same time Nast?s Santa Claus appeared was St. Nicholas magazine, which was named after Santa, was published by Scribner’s from 1873 to 1939. In 1939, a copywriter for Montgomery Ward added Rudolph to the reindeer pack. In 1889, the poet Katherine Lee Bates, created Mrs. Claus, Santa’s wife in “Goody Santa Claus on a Sleigh Ride.”

Throughout the 19th century Santa was both beloved and respected. In 1897 a little girl named Virginia O’Hanlon wrote a letter to the New York Sun expressing her friends? skepticism of Santa?s existence. The Sun replied in one of the most famous editorials in American history: “Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. … Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist.”

In 1931 the Coca-Cola Company launched its now annual Santa-themed advertising campaign, in an effort to boost mid-winter soft drink sales. Commercial cartoonist Haddon Sundblom created Coca-Cola?s version of Santa. Sundblom?s Santa established wore a red suit and drank from a green Coca-Cola bottle.

By the mid-20th century magazine publishers determined magazine covers as the most important aspect of a magazine. Many great illustrators created now legendary Christmas-themed magazine covers that depicted Santa Claus, Christmas trees, gift-giving, Christmas shopping, the anticipation of Christmas, gift-receiving and other Christmas-related themes. Some of the greatest illustrators of this era are Neysa McMein, Helen Dryden, John Falter, Herbert Paus, Dynevor Rhys, Norman Rockwell, Frank Schoonover, Maginel Barney, J.C. Leyendecker, James Montogomery Flagg and Jessie Willcox Smith.

Throughout the 20th century and today Santa Claus remains a popular magazine cover subject for all kinds of magazines, including home magazines, kids magazines and food magazines.

For more on holiday magazines, visit www.magazines.com Jessica Vandelay is a freelance writer in New York City.

Article Source: Santa Claus Magazine Covers