I’m American, and love the concept of Santa Claus as much as the next person. But it is the iconography and tradition of Father Christmas that resonates with me even more. The fact that he is called “Father” evokes a warmth of humanity that is more touchable than a saint. I also kind of really like the origins of Father Christmas. Historically, he was kind of a party animal. Pen and ink and lithograph images from the 18th and early 19th Century show a spry and mischievous older gent with a bowl of wassail, as opposed to the 19th and 20th Century versions of a fat and jolly older gent with a bag of toys.
These are some of the earliest depictions of Father Christmas, formerly Old Christmas, Sir Christëmas or Gregorie Christmas. 1652, 1836, 1843, 1847 (the last one is actually the third ghost from Dicken’s Xmas Carol) pic.twitter.com/dL6f4OSRH0
— Tom Rowsell (@Tom_Rowsell) December…
