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 The Christmas that is now known to us as the Christian holiday which celebrates the birth of baby Jesus on the 25th of December is a tradition whose roots go way back in history. As early as prehistoric times, men celebrated the period which today corresponds to the end of the month of December.
From Celts to Junelisse
A season which, by this time, corresponded to the winter solstace and to the shortest days of the year. The Celts combatted darkness with the help of giants of fire which they lit up around this time of the year. Later, the Romans celebrate the Saturnalia, festivals during which men and women wore garlands and exchanged gifts.
The Romans continued to celebrate the 25th of December as the « Unconquered Celebration », a tradition of Persian origin. By this time, people of the Nordic regions were celebrating mid-winter. A period of celebration which gave birth to the goblin Junelisse, considered to be one of the predecessors of Santa Claus. With his red hat, the goblin went around visting homes, offering gifts to children and even offering his assistance with farm work.
Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas didn’t appear on the scene until much later on. In the fourth century, Nicolas was the bishop of the city of Tyre close to Antalya. Throughout his life, he performed multiple miracles : at the very moment of his birth, it had been told that he could already stand on his feet. Later, he restored life to three little boys who had been dismembered by a mad butcher and saved a boat full of wheat from sinking in a flood. For others, Saint Nicholas became the patron saint of children and seafarersl.
He is celebrated in numberous countries on the 6th of December, the day commemorating his death. During this celebration, well-behaved children are rewarded with treats while the remainder of children are terrorized by Father fouettard (Father Whipper), a travel companion of Saint Nicholas. In France, Saint Nicholas is especially celebrated in the northern region.
 Santa Claus and soda
The « modern » successor of Saint Nicholas, Santa Claus made his first appearance in the United States in the 19th century, well before conquering Europe in the last century. Universally represented as an old debonnaire man with a long white beard, Santa Claus owes his existence to a famous soda company in the United States which used him as a publicity icon. Nevertheless, various Nordic countries lay claim to Santa’s origin. Yet it is only in Rovaniemi, in Finlande, in the arctic circle, that we may find the offical post office bureau of Santa Claus where children’s letters are classified according to country and receive a reply with the offical stamp of Santa Claus.
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