Why is Santa always portrayed as being white??

[polpilot]

What's up with that?

[mike_c]

1. because he's a fairy tale made up by white people...?

Film at eleven.

[Blue_In_AK]

2. More accurately

you would think he'd be Inupiat or something.

[SpiralHawk]

3. Yeah, and what about the snow thingy?

Why is that always white?

[Skidmore]

6. Until the dog went outside, then it

was yellow.

[polpilot]

9. Whitey controlling the damn weather. Always gotta be 'bout the white man.

[undeterred]

4. He's probably Scandinavian.

Few other white people will put up with the cold like he does.

[Jane Austin]

5. At the big Christmas Wholesale Market in Dallas (replicated in Atlanta,

New York, Las Vegas, LA and elsewhere) there are lots of brown Santas, angels and Holy Families.

[mattvermont]

7. I know have seen

eddie murphy dressed up like santa ; )

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. Because he is. That is, the legend was based on St. Nicholas (a Greek),

and then later got mixed up with some pagan figures in Germany and the Netherlands. Since he's basically a western European legend, it figures he'd be white.

[Speck Tater]

10. And when I was a kid they told me Santa was an elf.

He got down the chimney by magically turning himself tiny.

So when did he become a fat human?

[GreenStormCloud]

15. 1822, in the poem, "Twas the Night Before Christmas"

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

[corpseratemedia]

33. he was modeled after an ancient rush limbaugh

[GreenStormCloud]

53. Rush, giving away bags of gold? I don't think so. N/T

[Cleita]

30. Elves are part of northern European mythology so it would make sense

that Santa would be white.

[The Straight Story]

11. Because Obama was not around at the time to run for Santa, though he is now for Insurance co's

:)

[polpilot]

19. 'Twas the night before Xmas & Obama came 'round throwing down $$$ in InsuranceTown!!

[Walk away]

12. The first explorer to reach the North Pole was an African American.

African-American Matthew A. Henson accompanied polar explorer Robert E. Peary on a U.S. expedition to the North Pole on April 6, 1909.

He reached the Pole 45 minutes before Peary.

So why isn't Santa Black?

[GreenStormCloud]

20. What does that have to do with the Santa legend?

Other than both having to do with the North Pole.

Santa Claus is a corruption of St. Nicholas, upon whom the legend is very loosely based. St. Nicholas was a genuine historical person, and he was white.

[Walk away]

62. My Santa lives at the North Pole and drinks Coca Cola....

He is no Turkish saint believe me. He might be black but he's not religious.

[earthside]

26. Nope.

It is pretty much considered now that neither Peary (with Henson) nor Cook actually made it to the North Pole.

[doc03]

34. What did he do set the camera up to film Perry

when he arrived?

[leftofcool]

13. How dare you assume Santa is anything but a white man

Geez! You might as well assume that Jesus was a dark skinned Hebrew type guy. What is wrong with you people......trying to start a war on Santa. (sarcasm)

[WeDidIt]

14. Because the mythical Santa Claus is based upon Saint Nicholas?

:shrug:

[Oregone]

17. Or Odin, a Norse God

[GreenStormCloud]

52. You wish. Not even close.

Read up on the real person St. Nichalous. Here is the wiki article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas

Notice the similarity in the name Santa Claus and St. Nichalous.

Here is the beginning of the presents and chimney legend. Over the past 1,000 years it has morphed a lot, but you can still see the germ of the legend.

In his most famous exploit however, a poor man had three daughters but could not afford a proper dowry for them. This meant that they would remain unmarried and probably, in absence of any other possible employment would have to become prostitutes. Hearing of the poor man's plight, Nicholas decided to help him but being too modest to help the man in public, (or to save the man the humiliation of accepting charity), he went to his house under the cover of night and threw three purses (one for each daughter) filled with gold coins through the window opening into the man's house.

One version has him throwing one purse for three consecutive nights. Another has him throw the purses over a period of three years, each time the night before one of the daughters comes "of age". Invariably, the third time the father lies in wait, trying to discover the identity of their benefactor. In one version the father confronts the saint, only to have Saint Nicholas say it is not him he should thank, but God alone. In another version, Nicholas learns of the poor man's plan and drops the third bag down the chimney instead; a variant holds that the daughter had washed her stockings that evening and hung them over the embers to dry, and that the bag of gold fell into the stocking.

[polpilot]

21. Mythical Santa Claus?? You cannot be serious!! Mythical my ass. No presents 4 U!

You can have some of mine. It's Xmas you know.

[Golden Raisin]

16. Same reason Jesus is usually

depicted as white, blue-eyed, blond and speaks American English. He probably looked more like Osama bin Laden. Santa probably should look more like an Inuit, or maybe Turkish as St. Nicholas was born in what is now Turkey.

[eridani]

74. There are proofs that Jesus is black, Italian, Irish, a woman etc.

There are 3 good arguments that Jesus was Black:

1. He called everyone "brother"
2. He liked Gospel
3. He couldn't get a fair trial.

But then there are 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Jewish:

1. He went into His Fathers business.
2. He lived at home until he was 33.
3. He was sure his Mother was a virgin and his mother thought he was God.

But then there are 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Italian:

1. He talked with his hands.
2. He had wine with every meal.
3. He used olive oil.

But then there are 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was a Californian:

1. He never cut his hair.
2. He walked around in sandals all the time.
3. He started a new religion.

But then there are 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Irish:

1. He never got married.
2. He was always telling stories.
3. He loved green pastures.

But the most compelling evidence of all - 3 proofs that Jesus was a woman:

1. She fed a crowd at a moment's notice when there was no food.
2. She kept trying to get a message across to a bunch of men who just didn't get it
3. And even when she was dead, she had to get up because there was more work to do.

[LostInAnomie]

18. Because the guy he's based on was white.

[Raine]

22. Because a white person created him

seriously.

[flvegan]

23. In many areas a black man carrying a sack of new goods?

Oh yeah, he's getting shot under the assumption he's a looter of some kind.

[Hekate]

24. Many of Santa's Helpers are of diverse origins, but Santa himself started as a shaman...

... from the far, far North -- possibly Finnish, definitely with roots hither and yon. The Finns were small people in those days (elflike, one might say), certainly much smaller than their Viking neighbors. They used reindeer. Etc, etc, etc.

There's a great book called "When Santa Was a Shaman: Ancient Origins of Santa Claus and the Christmas Tree" by Tony van Renterghem. It's a fun read, and very well researched.

As to why he is portrayed as white -- Northern Europe is mostly populated by white people even to this day. When Clement Moore wrote The Night Before Christmas he called SC "a right jolly old elf" (small) with "eight tiny reindeer" (also small). It's easy enough to imagine a small being coming down the chimney -- it's not his fault we have imagined him as full-sized.

Hekate

[Nikki Stone1]

25. Because Father Christmas/Santa Claus is a European tradition

Now, ask me why he's always male. :evilgrin:

[Liquorice]

35. Well now that you mention it, women are the ones who usually buy

the presents, wrap the presents, etc., for the children. They ARE more like Santa Claus, although I never really thought about it before now.

[Nikki Stone1]

47. Exactly.

I'm half tempted to tell the kids in my family that the Mother Goddess brings presents.

[eridani]

72. And if the three wise men had been three wise women--

--they would have stopped and asked for directions, gotten there on time, helped deliver the baby, cleaned up and put down fresh straw, brought practical gifts and made a casserole.

[phasma ex machina]

27. Why are children too lazy to google?

My combo Christmas / Solstice bookends present to all the children out there:

[Vinnie From Indy]

28. When I was a kid, myself and some friends at school

took a cassette tape that the principal at our grade school had prepared to play for a school assembly and altered it a little then put it back in her drawer. During the assembly the tape was played. It was some guy reading a Christmas poem with music in the background. About halfway into the tape, a song we made up about Santa Claus being a black man began blaring out to the assembly. I still remember the song! Looking back, I guess I have always been a rabble rouser. And, the entire school began laughing uproariously at the unexpected bit of comedy. The principal was not amused!

[Lisa0825]

29. We had a black Santa on display at my office.

He's a mythical character loosely based on a historical figure. I really don't care what race he is portrayed as.

[Indenturedebtor]

31. Because whitey is always pushing the bad stuff?

[polpilot]

36. With this new health insurance bill I'm taking up smoking myself.

I feel totally protected by my friends at the health insurance corps. Things are A-O.K.

[Indenturedebtor]

39. Hahaha at least your death will be quick without adequate coverage n/t

[Iggo]

60. Best post of the month!

Excellent. Thanks for the laugh.:rofl:

[KittyWampus]

59. That just struck me as very funny.

[prairierose]

32. Because he is a legend from Europe.... n/t

[madokie]

37. Why is jesus always portrayed as white

Its all a scam if you ask me

[Regret My New Name]

46. That's far more annoying than Santa.

[Political Heretic]

38. He's not. (nt)

[Bluebear]

40. How many brothers live in Lapland?

:)

[Hekate]

48. Bingo! see my post #24 for a fun read on that--reindeer and all.

:hi:

[musette_sf]

41. We had Black Santa in Brooklyn...

NYT article from 1970:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19701129&id=es0NAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rXUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6508,6899240

Jet Magazine, December 1970:
http://tinyurl.com/yglcmld

Photo from Jet article:

[tblue]

42. Why is Rufolph's nose always portrayed as being red?? nt

[GreenStormCloud]

57. That comes from a 1939 Christmas advertising campaign by Montgomery Ward.

There was a song the same year as part of the ad campaign. It caught on.

[rateyes]

43. Saint Nicholas

[Liberal_Dog]

44. I Remember An Episode Of "Family Matters" That Featured A Black Santa

nt

[Regret My New Name]

45. teehee

<3

[nadinbrzezinski]

49. Father Christmas was a German Saint, as in white

this is one of the origins, St. Nicholas is the other, again white.

Hell at one time he was not fat, and jolly, for that you have to thank the Coca Cola Company and their adds of the early part of the 20th century.

[GreenStormCloud]

58. He was fat and jolly in 1822, well before Coca Cola.

Have you ever read "Twas the Night Before Christmas"? It was written in 1822.

[TexasObserver]

64. Ho! Ho! Ho!

[Motown_Johnny]

50. northern european

what race would you expect him to be?

[dysfunctional press]

51. you've never seen a black santa?

you're definitely going on my motherfuckin' naughty list, cracker...

[Paladin]

54. Black Santa Cards Are Available.

Unfortunately, they're for sale by Glenn Beck and they're flagrantly racist. Check out The Rude Pundit site for a look and a choice critique.......

[panzerfaust]

55. ... and Male, and why always Father Christmas, and, and Why Reindeer & not Water Buffalo??

I suppose it is because this fabulous tale was made up by white people, who lived in a male dominated society in Northern Europe?

I am not intimate with the tales of - say South West Africa - but I bet that the stories there mostly have black protagonists (though Africa does have a brisk trade in the body-parts of Albinos, so likely there are white imaginary beings as well in their tales).

And, I suspect that Water Buffalo are to be found in stories from Asia.

These days, in America, there is (even here in Texas) no shortage of Black, Asian, and Hispanic Santas to be found in the shopping malls which are the beating heart of 'Merican culture. Cannot speak to depictions in the popular press, or on television - as have no contact with these - so perhaps there are none there - but why would there be?

And What of Christ?

Many of the early depictions of JC show a decidedly swarthy individual, whilst others show Him as a beardless youth with tight Roman curls. This all eventually converged on depictions of a bearded white man with long hair. Of course, ALL depictions of JC violate the clear Genesis prohibition of graven images ...

Anyhow. So is not asking "Why is Santa White" like asking why "they" always show the Vikings to be White?

Save that the Vikings were real: Whilst Christ, and likely Santa, are imaginary and so we should be able to make them look like whatever most suits our purpose of the moment.



So, I guess it is a good question after all?

[SoCalDem]

56. So is Jesus

Myths are propagated by people who are educated enough to write & distribute the myth.. That was mostly white people...for a very long time

[Ezlivin]

61. 'Cause white people wouldn't trust a black Santa in the house

And they don't like the fact that he's got one hell of a long stocking.

[Odin2005]

63. Because Santa has origins in European mythology.

The real St. Nicholas was Greek. "Santa Claus" is a bastardization of what the Dutch called the saint.

[TexasObserver]

65. Why is Kunta Kinte always portrayed as being black?

Because he was black (the character in the book).

Santa is usually portrayed as white because he is based upon a white man.

A better question is: Why is Jesus (almost) always portrayed as being white?

[Umbral]

66. Why does Kwanzaa Bot wear a Dashiki? It's just one of the mysteries of the season.

And Happy Holidays to you all!

[Spirochete]

67. I'd always thought he was Hispanic

Oh! THAT Santa




Never mind...

[Kaleva]

68. 'Cause in many areas, a jolly black man breaking into homes would be shot on sight.

[tammywammy]

69. Have you ever read David Sedaris' "6 to 8 Black Men"?

It's better to hear him read it

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbJpRLhaSqs

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU1D1HKTDCY&feature=related

Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g17Pl7MFMco&feature=related

[Kaleva]

70. Wife is sleeping so m trying to be quiet but I'll check them out later!

[tammywammy]

71. It's hilarious

David Sedaris is funny to read, but hilarious to listen to him read his own short stories. :)

[cherokeeprogressive]

73. The "media" is controlled by white people. Has been. Always.

Here's a question I've heard asked while visiting relatives on the Cherokee Reservation in Tahlequah, Oklahoma: Why is the Great Spirit always depicted as a "red man"? For that, I had no answer.