Out of all the holidays and the various icons that are associated with them, the dynamic duo of Christmas and Santa Claus are easily at the peak of the holiday mountain top. No other festive character and their respective holidays come close to the recognition and love that Saint Nick and December 25th get. But there’s more to Santa and Christmas than just family gatherings and presents however. After all you need to have special traits that stick out from the rest of the pack to be considered by many the ultimate holiday. In this article I will go over the integral elements that put the iconic tandem of Santa Claus and Christmas on top of the holiday hierarchy.
Santa Claus’ Holiday Immortality
Throughout the holiday season one entity truly sticks out as an incarnation of joy, sharing, giving, dedication and festive spirit. From his snowy white beard to his cozy red outfit, I am of course talking about the legendary and all encompassing Santa Claus. Father Christmas captivates young bloods in a way super few characters can rival. But Santa has far more than an iconic beard and holiday attire that makes him such a beloved icon by children all over the earth.
One of Santa’s most defining traits is that he is the ultimate embodiment of giving. Kids are always enthralled by the concept of receiving gifts from the jolly man in red. The idea of an old man on a mystic sleigh pulled by a flying herd of reindeer that delivers presents to every goody two shoes out there encapsulates every child’s imagination. The strong surprise factor coupled with his exceptional generosity has every kid hooked. Saint Nick has more to him than just his immense generosity however.
An underrated aspect to why Santa Claus is so loved is his simplicity. When you really think about it, Santa is just a jolly old fellow in a cozy red suit who lives in the North Pole with his wife, Mrs Claus, oversees a legendary toy factory operated by his famous assistant elves that create toys for him to deliver every Christmas. But that’s what makes him so endearing to so many young bucks. In a world that can sometimes be very knotty,
Kriss Kringle is as simple as he is captivating. Mr Christmas also brings all children together during the holidays with the belief of magic and wonder. Additionally, Santa Claus and his lore are rooted all over the world with each having their own iteration of the Christmas Demigod. The stories connect the children to the community with traditions such as writing letters, placing cookies and milk near the chimney and decorating the Christmas tree.
These rituals foster a sense of participating in an event bigger than themselves which brings all the kids closer to their respective communities. At the end of the day Santa Claus remains the favorite of all the iconic holiday characters because of his welcoming appearance, mystical aura, being the embodiment of giving and his simple but wondrous lore.
Christmas’ Eternal Luster
“The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” dates back all the way back to the 4th century under Roman Emperor Constantine when the Roman Empire was humming. But as a holiday you need far more than just being ancient to earn the prestigious label of “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”.
Christmas at its heart is the holiday of giving. Kids are naturally attracted to not just getting presents but receiving them from a magical entity like Santa has the young minds run rampant. Furthermore Christmas brings not just families closer together but even entire communities are binded closer together through excitement, magic and wonder. Around this time I’ve the year it always seems the community is much calmer, friendlier and more social.
Almost as if some unseen magical force is uniting everyone together. Another tantalizing aspect about Christmas is the decorations. Whether it’s the beautiful bright lights, funny character blow ups or elegant ornaments, the Christmas decorations each have their own elements which brightens the mood of everyone around them. Heck there’s even a prominent show that airs near Christmas time called the “Great Christmas Light Fight”.
It’s a show all about families banding together to turn their ordinary houses into festive sensations that represent their personalities and beliefs. Just goes to show how huge decorations are in making Christmas feel so special. It’s for these reasons I feel why Christmas has been the dominant holiday for centuries and still remains just as dominant if not more so in the modern age.
The combination of the legend of Santa Claus, the numerous nations that cherish the holiday, captivating decorations and the unification of communities is what has made Christmas the penultimate holiday.
