In this region, Santa Claus has replaced this character beloved by children

In this region Santa Claus has replaced this character beloved

Not so long ago, in this French region, Santa Claus did not yet exist, but he had a predecessor.

It has been approximately 1700 years since the supposed birth of Santa Claus. Nicholas of Myra was a rich Turkish bishop who took advantage of nightfall to distribute gifts and food to the poorest. His canonization by the Church, at a time when it sought to replace the characters of pagan festivals with saints, marked the birth of Saint Nicholas, on December 6. In the 16th century, the Protestant reform abolished this celebration in many European countries. But the Netherlands preferred to transform Saint Nicholas into a semi-secular character while keeping the distribution of gifts associated with him. From there “Sinter Klaas” was born.

“The name Santa Claus (Father Christmas) is actually a corruption of the Dutch term Sinter Klaas (Saint-Nicolas),” reports the magazine Geo. Its appearance in the United States is in fact due to the arrival of the first Dutch immigrants in the territory. In a few decades, the custom spread rapidly within American homes, until it was associated with the birth of the child Jesus by Christian families. From there, Santa Claus began his rounds on the night of December 24.

1734786800 546 In this region Santa Claus has replaced this character beloved
© 123RF

In France, it was not made popular until the end of the Second World War by American soldiers. However, France was not devoid of its own traditions. Each region has its own specificities, even at Christmas. Particularly in Burgundy where Santa Claus has not always been obvious. For good reason, the man in the red cap had a predecessor for a long time, before establishing himself in the 1930s. His name was Father Janvier.

This gaunt old man with a long white beard was dressed in a brown homespun robe. Bent under the weight of his wicker basket, he went from house to house in the company of Père Fouettard to offer toys or punish bad kids. But as his name suggests, he did not come on the night of December 25 but on the night of January 31 to 1 to leave presents through the chimney. The tradition has continued for a long time, particularly in the Pays Nivernais-Morvan. She disappeared around 1930, but the transition period allowed a few lucky children to benefit from the generosity of the two bearded men.

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