The Faces of Santa Claus

It seems that Santa Claus has been with us a long, long time, continually changing as people shared their traditions, adding and discarding as their societies changed. As you scroll down the page, you are moving backwards in time, seeing the many faces of Santa Claus that contributed to the Santa Claus that we know and love today.

Santa Claus

Appearance: Full white beard, fat, jovial, ruddy cheeked
Clothing: White fur trimmed red Jacket, red cap and red trousers, dark boots
Travel: Reindeer sleigh
Customs: Comes down the chimney and fills stockings
Companions: Elves. Mrs. Claus
Home: Nast established Santa's official residence at the North Pole in 1885 when he sketched two children looking at a map of the world and tracing Santa's journey from the North Pole to the United States. The following year, the American writer, George P. Webster, took up this idea, explaining that Santa's toy factory and "his house, during the long summer months, was hidden in the ice and snow of the North Pole"

Pere Noel

Clothing: Long red hooded robe, edged with white fur. His presents are carried not in a sack, but in a basket on his back.
Customs: Children put out shoes in front of the fireplace
Gifts: Candy, fruit, nuts and small toys are hung on the le sapin de noël: Christmas tree, For some good children, he gifts twice; once on December 6th, St. Nicholas Eve (December 6th), and once on Christmas Eve, December 24th.
Companions: Is accompanied by Père Fouettard, a sinister figure dressed in black, who gives out spankings to bad children.

Kriss Kringle

Known As: Christ Kindl (Christ-child). The German name of the Christ Child is Christkind
Appearance: His messenger is a young child with a golden crown who holds a tiny "Tree of Light."
Customs: Brings the gifts of the Christ Child.

Sinterklaas

Known As: De Goede Sint - The Friendly Saint
Appearance: A kind and wise old man with a white beard
Clothing: White dress, red cloak, a crosier
Travel: Rides the skies and roofs of houses on his white horse
Home: Spain
Customs: Visits on his birthday, December 5th or 6th
Gifts: Various gifts, if you were good
Companions: Zwarte Piet ("Black Peter"), also called Black Jacks
Notes: The Black Jacks gather information about your behavior for the year. If you were good, you get presents.. If you were bad, the Black Jacks will beat you with their rods or put you in a bag and take you back to Spain

Knecht Ruprecht (meaning Servant Rupert)

Known As: Black Peter, Pelznickle, Aschen (Ash Nicholas), Rider of the White Horse

Appearance: Fur clad, blackened with soot
Travel: Traveled with St. Nicholas
Visits: Delivered the presents down the chimney for St. Nicholas
Customs: Carried a sack of ashes as well as a bundle of switches
Notes: He was called Black Peter because he delivered the presents down the chimney for St. Nicholas and became blackened with soot. Over time, Knecht Ruprecht and St. Nicholas merged to form Ru Klaus (Rough Nicholas) because of his rugged appearance, Aschen Klaus (meaning Ash Nicholas) because he carried a sack of ashes as well as a bundle of switches and Pelznickle (Furry Nicholas)

Saint Nicholas

Appearance: A kindly saint, not overweight
Clothing: Wears the robes of a bishop of the Roman Catholic Church.
Customs: Hands out presents to the children. Children also put their shoes in front of the fireplace to be filled with candy and presents by morning.
Travels; Sometimes travels with a donkey.
Companions: Angels that help St. Nicholas to keep his book of good and bad deeds and help to protect the chldren fom Krampus, the Devil, Père Fouettard who accompany St. Nicholas and punish bad children.

Joulupukki

Companions: Joulupukki has a wife, Joulumuori - Old Lady Christmas
Known As: Yule Goat or Christmas Goat
Appearance: Wears warm red clothes and uses a walking stick
Travel: Travels in a sleigh driven by a number of reindeer (but the reindeer don't fly)
Home: Korvatunturi, Lapland, Finland
Customs: Knocks on the front door during the Christmas eve celebration. When he comes in, his first words are traditionally "Are there (any) nice children here?"
Notes: In an old Finnish tradition, people dressed in goat hides, (as nuuttipukki), and went around from house to house after Christmas eating leftover food.

Tomte

Known As: Nisse, Tonttu
Appearance: A small, elderly man (varies from a few inches to about half the height of an adult man), often with a full beard. He is not overweight.
Clothing: Dresses in the everyday clothing of a farmer - typically attired in grey woolen clothes, a red cap. Later turned into the white-bearded, red-capped friendly figure associated with Christmas when a poem illustrated by Jenny Nyström was created.
Travel: Sometimes rides in a sleigh drawn by reindeer or walks around with his sack. His reindeer don't fly
Home: In Sweden he's thought to live in a forest nearby, in Denmark he lives on Greenland, and in Finland he lives in Lapland
Customs: He doesn't come down the chimney at night, but through the front door, delivering the presents directly to the children
Companions: Often with a horse or cat, or riding on a goat or in a sled pulled by a goat

Grandfather Frost

Known As: Ded Moroz
Clothing: Long fur coat covered by bright beautiful cloth (blue or red) trimmed in fur
Travel: Troika of white horses
Home: Grandfather Frost lives in the town Veliky Ustug
Customs: Visits on New Year
Gifts: Puts on a New Year party for children as well as bringing them gifts
Companions: Always accompanied by his granddaughter Snegurochka (Snow girl)

Yule King

Known As: Lord of Misrule, King Winter, Winter King, Holly King, Yule Spirit, King Frost
Appearance: A jolly giant, has a well-fed belly, and sports a burly beard
Clothing: Fur hat or crown, he wears red or green, and a crown of leaves. The Lord of Misrule was a red or green-robed jester
Customs: The Yule King visits at firesides. As Lord of Misrule, he presides over the Yuletide festivities

Father Christmas

Known As: Old Winter, Old Christmas
Appearance: Well-nourished bearded man, typified the spirit of good cheer
Clothing: Long, green, fur-lined robe, representing the return of spring, fur-lined hood (not a cap)
Customs: An elder man from the community dressed in furs and visited each dwelling. At each house, in the guise of "Old Winter" he would be plied with food and drink before moving on to the next. It was thought he carried the spirit of the winter with him, and that the winter would be kind to anyone hospitable to Old Winter.
Notes: Father Christmas did not bear gifts until he merged with the American version of Santa Claus in the late 1800s

Yule God

Real Name: Thor, a Norse God
Temperament: Cheerful and friendly, never harming humans but rather helping and protecting them
Appearance: Elderly man, heavy build, long white beard
Travel: Chariot pulled by two white goats, Cracker and Gnashwer
Home: In the Northland, among icebergs
Customs: Comes down the chimney - visits in front of the fireplace
Symbols: The color red, fire

Odin

Real Name: Odin, the chief of the Norse Gods

Known As: Pelznickle, meaning Furry Nicholas, and as Rider of the White Horse
Appearance: Old, mysterious man with a beard, may be shown with one eye missing
Clothing: Long blue hooded cloak, carrying a staff and sometimes a satchel of bread
Travel: Rides Sleipnir, a flying horse with eight legs
Customs: Children leave straw filled shoes by the chimney to feed Sleipnir
Gifts: He would sometimes leave the bread as a gift at poor homesteads
Companions: Either a Raven or Crow
Notes: The Vikings believed that Odin visited Earth during Jultid (Yuletide) on Sleipnir


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Saint Nicholas: the Truth Behind Santa Claus X of X

Take a trip to the local mall at Christmas time. Go watch Santa sitting on his royal throne. Kids are lined up to sit on his lap of judgement. What does Santa ask them, "Have you been a good little boy?" "Have you been a good little girl?’ Ever read Psalm 11:4?

The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. Psalm 11:4

There’s no question Santa is sitting on his throne. There is no question it is a mockery and pretender of the judgement of a Holy God.

And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. 1 King 22:19

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. Revelation 20:11-12

Let us not forget the Bible says Satan has a throne.

• For thou [Lucifer] hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: Isaiah 14:13
  

In Acts 12, Herod is playing Santa, dressed in his Santa suit (royal apparel), on his throne, and the people saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And the angel of the Lord kills him for his blasphemy.

21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.
22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.
23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
24 But the word of God grew and multiplied. Acts 12:21-24

He's making a list!!!!!

Right on schedule. . . Santa also has a list to judge who's "naughty or nice"

He's making a list, He's checking it twice
He's gonna find out Who's naughty or nice

Over and over, scripture after scripture, Santa grants Satan's ultimate wish, ". . . I will be like the most High. . ."

Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. Mal. 3:16

And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. Rev 5:1

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Rev 20:12, 15

I wonder how many children this Christmas will be asked, "Do you BELIEVE in Santa?" I know one thing – it will be more tha n all the Christians of the world asking "Do you BELIEVE in Jesus?". Santa's witnesses will happily witness for him – faithfully, day and night – around the world. Do you really believe it’s just a coincidence that Santn (a.k.a. Satan), over and over, is counterfeiting the Lord Jesus Christ? The heart of the Christian faith is "believing" in the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the very core of the Christian faith. It is not works. It is not sacraments. It is not doing this or doing that. It is belief in the Lord Jesus Christ.

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Acts 16:31

Belief and faith – is the essence and heartbeat of the Christian faith. It all hinges on believing. Salvation is BELIEVING IN Jesus Christ.

"Little Boy, Little Girl, DO YOU BELIEVE IN SANTA?"

What happens when these children put so much false hope into a lie? What happens when that deceived child learns that wonderful Santa is a BIG LIE? Not only is it a false hope, not only is total deception – but it counterfeits the person of Jesus Christ! To confuse matters even worse the Lord Jesus is mixed into the lie by supposedly celebrating his birth. Tom Clancy, in his novel, The Sum of All Fears, states the lifelong disappointment and skepticism after the deception of Santa is realized:

"After you stop believing in Santa Claus,
The whole world just goes downhill."
(Tom Clancy, The Sum of All Fears, p. 481)

Who that has ever seen the Christmas classic movie The Miracle on the 34^th Street can ever forget the child-like faith of young Susan Walker (played by the cute Natalie Wood). Little Susie a skeptic, who doesn't believe in Santa Claus is "converted" by the loveable Kriss Kringle (played by Edmund Gwenn). The main plot of the movie is – faith and belief in Kriss Kringle or Santa. Remember the highlight of the movie when Susan's mother, Doris (played by Maureen O'Hara) tells young Susan, " You must believe in Mr Kingle–and keep right on believing. You must have faith in him." And young Susie begins repeating over and over, "I believe, I believe. . ." Here's how the original author Valentine Davies describes the above scene:

"Susan thought it over for a moment and then began muttering with firm conviction: 'I believe, I believe, I believe–'
(Valentine Davies, Miracle on 34th Street, p. 116)

Towards the end of the movie, Santa gives Susie the "desires of her heart" and little Susie is saying, "You were right mommy, I do believe. I do believe. Mr Kingle is Santa Claus." Wow! It is also worth mentioning what Santa gives to Susan. Not the typical child's gift of a doll, etc. But a house. . . . Sound familiar?

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:2

The movie ends as Santa (Kriss Kringle) "prepares a place" for little Susie. And they surprisingly see Santa's cane standing in the corner showing he had been there and did indeed – "prepare a place" for little Susie. By the way, did you notice the shape of Santa's cane standing in the corner? It looks like a "shepherd's" hook? Hmmm. . . Who was it that said, "I am the good shepherd. . ."? (Hint. see John 10:11) Some reviewers wrote about The Miracle on 34^th Street:

"I guess the reason I, and all the other reviewers, think this film is so great is that it brings back the time when we could 'believe in Santa Claus.'"

Who has ever seen "Miracle on 34^th Street" can ever forget cute, little "Natalie Wood" says "when things don't turn out just right you still have to believe, and oh mommy I do believe, I do."

Another reviewer writes, ". . . this is a beautiful movie, that can make anyone believe in Santa Claus."

The name of the movie is The MIRACLE on 34th Street. Now who is it that does miracles?

This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. John 2:11

"Ho! Ho! Ho! I Am God".
In 1994, the satire magazine The Onion carried a parody of Santa Claus titled "Ho! Ho! Ho! I Am God". Even though, it was written as a blasphemous parody much truth rings from the article. The article says:

"I love visiting each and every one of your homes, stuffing your stockings with toys, and enjoying the milk and cookies you leave for me. But mostly I love Christmas because it's the celebration of the birth of my son, Jesus the Christ. You see, I'm God. . . Don't I look familiar? I'm old, I have a white beard, I love everyone. I'm the same God as the one you and your mommy and daddy worship on Sundays. . .

Okay, I admit it. I'm not God. But I'm better than God. I'm jollier, and I give you real toys, not boring old psalms and empty promises you can only collect on when you die. Worship me, not Him! Worship Santa! I am God!"
(Santa Claus, "Ho! Ho! Ho! I Am God!" The Onion, 29 Nov. - 5 Dec., 1994, p. 7)

And that is EXACTLY the message being preached to these little children! And they believe it!

You have to be blind to not see the possible connection. And you have to be spiritually blind to not see the possible spiritual damage such a massive, false-faith, God-like, LIE is doing to the faith and trust of that young child.

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Saint Nicholas: the Truth Behind Santa Claus IX of X

Santa is All-Powerful – He is Omnipotent

To the average child - Santa can do anything. The following are actual letters to Santa from children, taken from a local newspaper. Read these letters and look at the faith these children have in their god: (Knox 6)

"Dear Santa. . . If I could have one Christmas wish, it would be for my mom to get better. She has bad arthritis. Would you please heal her?"

"Dear Santa. . . For Christmas would you please give humanity a cure for cancer and a cure for AIDS, and would you please give us a new solar system where people live right?"

"Dear Santa. . . My mom and I both have disabilities. Would you please give both of us new bodies?"

"Dear Santa. . . Please bring peace on earth."

Is anything too hard for Santa?

Is anything too hard for the LORD? Genesis 18:14

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Matthew 28:18

Come rain, sleet, snow, storm, hurricane, the darkest and dreariest of nights – Santa comes. Their Santa NEVER fails! In one night, the all-powerful, Santa delivers millions and millions of gifts to children all around the world. Who could do that? Now, who REALLY believes that? That little child who has been preached to about Santa. That is who. They believe it. Just ask one. Nothing is too hard for their Santa. If the Christian world had, even a small drop of the faith the average child has in Santa – we’d have revival overnight!

These little kids believe and have more faith in their Santa than all the Christians of the world. If the Christians of the world could just catch a spark of that faith these kids have in Santa – we would have a world-wide revival. Have you ever considered how unbelievable and powerful Santa is? The scientific journal SPY magazine (January 1990) constructed a scientific analysis of Santa. Here’s some of there conclusions:

Santa has 31 hours of Christmas to work with, thanks to the different time zones and the rotation of the earth, assuming he travels east to west (which seems logical). This works out to 822.6 visits per second. This is to say that for each house, Santa has 1/1000th of a second to park, hop out of the sleigh, jump down the chimney, fill the stockings, distribute the remaining presents under the tree, eat whatever snacks have been left, get back up the chimney, get back into the sleigh and move on to the next house.

. . . a total trip of 75-1/2 million miles, not counting stops to do what most of us must do at least once every 31 hours, plus feeding and etc. This means that Santa's sleigh is moving at 650 miles per second, 3,000 times the speed of sound.

The payload on the sleigh adds another interesting element. Assuming that each child gets nothing more than a medium-sized lego set (2 pounds), the sleigh is carrying 321,300 tons.

This increases the payload - not even counting the weight of the sleigh - to 353,430 tons. 353,000 tons traveling at 650 miles per second creates enormous air resistance - The lead pair of reindeer will absorb 14.3 QUINTILLION joules [jewels-measurement of energy] of energy. Per second.

In short, they will burst into flame almost instantaneously and create deafening sonic booms in their wake. The entire reindeer team will be vaporized within 4.26 thousandths of a second. Santa, meanwhile, will be subjected to centrifugal forces 17,500.06 times greater than gravity. A 250-pound Santa (which seems ludicrously slim) would be pinned to the back of his sleigh by 4,315,015 pounds of force.
(SPY Magazine, January 1990)

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. . ." (1 Cor. 15:52) – Santa appears – all over the world! He just quietly "tip-toes" in – and "tip-toes" out. You hear nothing. You see nothing. He appears like a "thief in the night". (1 Thess. 5:2). And we expect our children to believe in a supernatural being that can do all that? And you know what – THEY DO! And they believe it with all their little heart, soul and mind!

35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
Matthew 22:35-38

Where did Santa come from? How did Santa get here? When did Santa magically appear? Like, Melchisedec (which most Bible students believe to be a reference to the incarnate Jesus Christ), Santa Claus is like the Son of God: "Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God;. . ." Hebrews 7:3 Santa is from everlasting to everlasting. His "years are throughout all generations". Possessing the attribute of an eternal God, Santa ". . . thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end." He has no beginning. He has no end. Like God Almighty, Santa is eternal. The famous editorial, Yes, Virginia There is a Santa Claus, written by Francis P. Church and published in The New York Sun on September 21, 1897 to 8-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon, ends with the following words:

"No Santa Claus! Thank God, he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood."
(Francis P. Church Yes, Virginia There is a Santa Claus, The New York Sun, September 21, 1897)

1 The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.
2 Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting. Psalm 93:1-2

Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. Habakkuk 1:12

24 I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.
25 Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.
26 They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:
27 But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end. Psalm 102:24-27

The Christmas "Spirit"? And yes, Santa has his own "spirit." The "Spirit of Christmas." Isn’t that a little strange? Gene Autry’s famous song "Here Comes Santa Claus" begins with the words, "Speakin' of Christmas spirit." Ring a bell? . . .

16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. John 14:16-17 I wonder what John thinks of the "spirit of Christmas"?

1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 1 John 4:1-3

SANTA

You better watch out,
You better not cry
You better not pout,
I'm telling you why Santa Claus is comin' to town
He's making a list,
He's checking it twice
He's gonna find out
Who's naughty or nice

Children the world over are taught to FEAR Santa. You’d better go to bed little boy – Santa is watching. Millions of fearful children are told, "You’d better behave. Santa is watching. You might not get anything for Christmas."

The fear of the Lord is the "beginning" of the Christian faith. And the fear of Santa is the beginning of the Santa faith – and possibly the destruction of their Christian faith!

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom:. . . Psalms 111:10

While our children should be taught the fear of the Lord, most are taught the sacrilegious fear of the false god of Santa.

Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Psalm 34:11

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Saint Nicholas: the Truth Behind Santa Claus VIII of X

Oh, how he loves the little children.

All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white,
They are precious in his site.
Santa loves the little children of the world.

They stand in line to sit in his loving lap. They get their picture with Santa. They tell Santa their most intimate secrets. They love their Santa – because he first loved them. Is there something slightly familiar with this picture?

13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Mark 10:13-14

We love him, because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19

. . . Ask, and it shall be given you. . . (Matthew 7:7)

Millions of young children will anxiously climb into the loving lap of their Santa Claus. They will whisper in his ear their little hearts desire. Then they will jump out of bed Christmas morning, with eyes shimmering, and hearts pounding — and there is all the wonderful gifts Santa brought them. At least, that is how they see it. . .

Jolly old Saint Nick,
Lean your ear this way!
Don't you tell a single soul
What I'm going to say;
Christmas Eve is coming soon;
Now, you dear old man,
Whisper what you'll bring to me;
Tell me if you can.
"Jolly Old St. Nick"

Here comes Santa Claus!
Here comes Santa Claus!
Right down Santa Claus Lane. . .
Bells are ringing, children singing;
All is merry and bright.
Hang your stockings and say your prayers,
'Cause Santa Claus comes tonight.

Millions of children worldwide will be asking their Santa for presents. And here’s the kicker – come Christmas morning – they will believe in Santa lovingly gave them all their presents. Who is telling these children these lies? Santa has replaced God as the gracious giver of gifts and the one who answers their prayers. He is Mr. Everything to these kids at Christmas time. They just need to believe. The key to getting your gifts is "believing" in Santa. Millions of kids will be asked this Christmas, "Do you still believe in Santa?"

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Matthew 21:22

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Psalm 37:4

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. . . .
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Matthew 7:7-8, 11

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17

Isn’t it amazing the power Santa has? Is there anyone like Santa Claus?

He sees you when you're sleeping, He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good So be good for goodness sake
Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Santa is All Knowing – He is Omniscient

He knows. . .ALL

He KNOWS when you’re awake
He KNOWS if you've been good or bad."

Bobby wants a pair of skates,
Suzy wants a sled
Nellie wants a picture book,
yellow, blue, and red
Now I think I'll leave to you
what to give the rest
Choose for me, dear Santa Claus;
you will know the best.
"Jolly Old St. Nick"

Santa knows everything.Children are taught, religiously, that Santa knows everything. He knows when they’re awake. He knows when they’re sleeping. He knows what they want for Christmas. Remember that child-like faith? That faith that belongs to God.Satan is robbing that precious faith with the false god of Santa! Santa has all the attributes of God. Santa has replaced God in the lives of Santa-worshipping children. Just mention the name of Santa to the average child – and watch their little face light up. They love Santa with "all their heart, and with all their soul, and with all their strength, and with all their mind." They stand in line to sit in his loving lap. They leave him milk and cookies. It may be a fable to the grown-ups, but those little kids – they believe and love Santa with all their little heart! And why not? Why shouldn’t they believe in Santa? They are taught, heartily, by the people they love and trust more than anyone on earth that Santa is a god. Santa knows things that are known only by an Omniscient God.

If you doubt the sincerity of the "Santa Claus-as-god-worship" – according to Encyclopedia Americana, during the Middle Ages, over 400 churches in England alone were named after "Santa Claus":

"His cult [Santa Clause] and his representation in art achieved their greatest popularity in the Middle Ages, and in England alone more than 400 churches are named after him."
(John E. Lynch., "Santa Claus", Encyclopedia Americana, 1988 ed., cited in Saint Who by Dr. Paul E. Heaton)

Santa is Everywhere – He is Omnipresent

He’s at the mall. He’s at the parade. He’s on the TV. He’s at the ball-park. He is EVERYWHERE. David’s testimony to the Omnipresence of God Almighty sounds much like the average child’s omnipresence faith in Santa.

7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. Psalm 139:7-8

Santa miraculously visits millions of children, all across the world, in one "quick as a wink" night. "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. . ." (1 Cor. 15:52) – Santa appears – all over the world! The poem The Night Before Christmas says of Old St. Nick: ". . . And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof. . ." Where did that come from? – "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. . ." (1 Cor. 15:52)

He sees you when you're sleeping, He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good So be good for goodness sake

Sound familiar. . .?

The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. Proverbs 15:3

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. 2 Chronicles 16:9

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Saint Nicholas: the Truth Behind Santa Claus VII of X

The Night Before Christmas

As everyone knows, Santa miraculously rides upon the heavens as he delivers his gifts and love. He has been described for so long, by so many, riding across the sky with his reindeers guiding his merry way, you can almost see Santa as you gaze up in the sky. The famous poem The Night Before Christmas describes this amazing, flying, red-clothed, bearded, whited-haired, super-man:

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too

Following Satan’s ". . . I will be like the most high. . ." in Deuteronomy 33:26

There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.Deuteronomy 33:26

It’s also interesting in Ephesians 2:2, Satan is depicted as "the prince of the power of the air. . ."

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Ephesians 2:2

Santa’s Little Helpers?
Santa has some cute little helpers called elves. Webster’s Dictionary has an interesting definition for the friendly elf:

ELF
1. A wandering spirit; a fairy; a hobgoblin; an imaginary being which our rude ancestors supposed to inhabit unfrequented places, and in various ways to affect mankind. . .
2. An evil spirit; a devil.
(Webster's Dictionary “elf”)

The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft has some interesting insights into Santa's Little Helpers. For instance, elves are Satan's fallen angels:

A host of supernatural beings and spirits who exist between earth and heaven. . . Fairies [Elves] are fall angels. When God cast Lucifer from heaven, the angels who were loyal to Lucifer plunged down toward hell with him.
(Rosemary Ellen Guiley, The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft, p. 115)

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.Revelation 12:9

The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft also writes that some elves have an appetite for human blood:

Some fairies [elves] were said to suck human blood like vampires.
(Rosemary Ellen Guiley, The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft, p. 116)

An interesting trick concerning elves is also given in The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft (p. 117). It seems some elves will grant peoples' wish and give them gifts – if that person will only deny their Christian faith! Elves are found in the writings of Satanist and new age-theosophy guru H.P. Blavatsky. She claims elves are "disembodied spirits," used in "magic and sorcery" and are "the principal agents in . . . seances." (H.P. Blavatsky, Isis Unveiled, Vol I, p. 262) Elves are also called trolls. Cathy Burns writes in Masonic and Occult Symbols Illustrated:

. . . the word troll comes from the Old Norse word for demon and is defined by some sources as a "devil": a person of great wickedness or maliciousness. . . Of course, Santa has his elves, too.
(Cathy Burns, Masonic and Occult Symbols Illustrated, p. 67)

Elf: A small, often mischievous creature considered to have magical powers.' Although some of these creatures may appear cute on the surface, all of them are nonetheless demonic entities that have their origin in the occult world.
(Cathy Burns, Masonic and Occult Symbols Illustrated, p. 77)

The Dictionary of Symbolism states about elves:

Living beneath the surface of the earth, they have ties to the word of the dead; these "little people" are often thought of as inhabitants of the underworld [hell].
(Hans Biedermann, Dictionary of Symbolism, p. 107)

Before you completely discount elves to the world of fantasy and kooks, consider the research of Dr. Kurt Koch. Dr. Koch is without question the world's foremost authority on demonism and the occult. Dr. Koch, a devout Christian, has spent a life-time traveling world-wide, researching and documenting the real-world of demonism, devils and the occult. Dr. Koch has three complete pages documenting "Goblins and Elves" in his book Occult ABC. Dr. Koch writes of elves:

These elves often appear to children and even play with them. The moment an adult comes on the scene, the elves disappear. . . If a person wants their help, he must apply to their chief, the devil himself. This however, would cost a person his salvation. The idea these spirits are demonic in origin is in accordance with the Bible.
(Kurt Koch, Occult ABC, p. 82, 83)

Dr. Koch claims these elves' "chief" is the "devil himself" – Santa's Little Helpers. Notice how Dr, Koch and others keep linking these elves back to children. The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft says elves, "love to visit new born babies of mortals. . ." (Rosemary Ellen Guiley, The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft, p. 116) In Dr. Koch's book (pp. 82-85), he gives four detailed, documented actual accounts involving elves or demons. Dr. Koch, has encountered so many elf-demonic experiences, he says, "One could write a book just about these little people like the tomter [elves], but that is not my task." (Kurt Koch, Occult ABC, p. 83) The great German Reformer Martin Luther also had encounters with elves or goblins. In his Table Talk book, Luther writes on one occasion:

The goblin [elf] jolted me in bed. But I took little notice of him. When I was almost asleep, he began such a rumbling on the stairs that you would have thought someone was throwing three score barrels of wine down them. I stood up, went to the stairs, and called out 'If it is you, so be it,' Then I committed myself to the Lord, of whom it is written, 'Thou hast put all things under His feet,' and went back to bed. That is the best way to get rid of him: to scorn him and call on Christ, That he cannot bear'.
(cited in Kurt Koch, Occult ABC, p. 84)

The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft writes, "Many contemporary Witches believe in fairies [elves] and some see them clairvoyantly." (Rosemary Ellen Guiley, The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft, p. 117) In fact, the very popular book teaching witchcraft to teenagers titled Teen Witch by witch-author Silver RavenWolf even contains a spell to invoke elves. The spell called "Elf Locker Spell" is a spell to keep people from breaking into a teenagers school locker. The spell conjures up elves to protect their locker. Witch RavenWolf details the spell:

At school, hang the mirror, asking the locker elves (yes, there are elves in school) to protect the locker (Silver RavenWolf, Teen Witch, Wicca for a New Generation, p. 215).

Then the teen witch does some other silly, stupid stuff, and casts their spell (which the book gives in detail). The end of the spell is very, very interesting. Here's what RavenWolf writes, "At home, set the milk and honey outside to nourish the fairies. (p. 215)" Did you say "milk and honey"? Can you say "Ho, Ho, Ho"?

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Saint Nicholas: the Truth Behind Santa Claus VI of X

Santa is a Carpenter?



Mark 6:3 tells us the Lord Jesus Christ was a carpenter.

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. Mark 6:3

Santa is no plumber, or electrician, or blacksmith. Santa is a carpenter. Surprise. Surprise. Wow! Who would have ever guessed it! What a coincidence. Oh yea, remember the God-Thor? His symbol is a hammer.

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His house. . . was toward the north (Ezekiel 8:14)

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Everyone knows Santa lives at the North Pole. Brrr. . . Why the north pole? Nobody lives at the North Pole. . . Why did they pick the NORTH Pole?

Could it possibly be because someone else lives in the north?

Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD'S house which was toward the north; . . . Ezekiel 8:14

1 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.
2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. Psalm 48:1-2

The Lord dwells in "the north, the city of the great King". By the way, remember what Lucifer said in Isaiah 14:13, when he rebelled against God? Remember where he was going to exalt his throne?

12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Isaiah 14:12-14

Where else would Satan (oops. . . it’s just too easy to get those two mixed up) Claus be but in the NORTH.


The ever-familiar holly plant that decorates our Christmas world has a very interesting history. A very interesting history indeed. The iiex chinensis, better known as holly, is the substantial subject of myths and pagan worship. For instance, the pagan Romans decorated their houses and temples with the "sacred" holly, which represented their goddess Saturnalia. By the way, there's where our modern day custom of decorating with holly originated. Among history's most blatant devil-worshippers were the Druids. The Druids were known for their human sacrifices and the authors of our Halloween. The Druids wore the holly in their hair and considered the "holly" plant sacred, hence the name "holy" or "holly." The Druids also believed the "holy" berries represented the blood of their Goddess. (Hmmm. . . I wonder where they go that strange idea from?) As Christianity began spreading throughout the Roman world, the use of pagan holly was outlawed. Plant aficionado and author, Virginia Klara Nathan, writes:

"Ancient history says that the Druids used holly in their religious rites long before the custom came to the European continent. The Druids of ancient Britain and Gaul held the English holly tree sacred. The 'holy' connotation continued in later days in Europe, where the plant was widely believed to repel evil spirits. People planted trees and used their branches as protection against witchcraft, mad dogs, and other evils. With the coming of Christianity, the use of holly was condemned as a pagan ritual and forbidden by the Christian council."
(Nathan, Virginia Klara. "Red-Berried Hollies." Extension Technician, in The Virginia Gardener Newsletter, Volume 7, Number 12. qtd at )

Nathan also writes as many of the condemned pagan practices, began infilturating Christianity the thorny pagan holly plant became symbolic with the "crown of thorns" that the Lord Jesus Christ wore. The Germans even refer to the holly plant as Christdorn - meaning, "Christ's crown of thorns."

But Christian Romans continued to decorate with holly during festive seasons. European Christian symbolism included the belief that the spiny leaves and red berries were a reminder of the crown of thorns and the blood of Christ. The Pennsylvania Dutch held that the plant's white flowers represented Jesus' purity. The Germans called this plant Christdorn, Christ's crown of thorns. They thought holly had white berries until they were stained by Christ's blood. (Nathan, Virginia Klara. "Red-Berried Hollies." Extension Technician, in The Virginia Gardener Newsletter, Volume 7, Number 12. qtd at )
Not surprisingly, considering the holly plant's storied ancestry, many writers believe the actual "crown of thorns" wore by the Lord Jesus Christ, was indeed the familiar "holly" wreath. Another plant enthusiast writes of the holly plant and it's portrayal of the "crown of thorns": Holly lost its pagan associations and became a symbol of Christmas, with the sharply pointed leaves symbolizing the crown of thorns which Jesus was made to wear prior to his crucifixion, and the berries becoming a symbol of the blood of Christ. Some refer to Holly as the Holy Tree and claim that it grew in Christ's footsteps. The white flowers represent Jesus's purity and birth, and the bitter bark is said to represent the passion. Some writers hold that holly was actually the plant which did actually form the crown of thorns and that the berries were originally white before being stained by Christ's blood. ("Holly Plant, Christmas Plants and Flowers," http://www.piglette.com/christmas/holly-plant.html) And it is not surprising, one of the many portraits of good 'ol Santa blasphemously portrays him wearing the "holy" crown, symbolic of the Saviour's "crown of thorns." One author writes of this portrait of Santa or Father Christmas wearing the "crown of thorns":

Originating in England, Father Christmas was depicted as a friendly fellow wearing a crown of holly and a scarlet or green fur-lined robe. To many, this wreath of holly represented the crown of thorns that Jesus wore when He was crucified and the red berries are symbolic of the blood He shed."
("Santalady's Favorite Antique Post Cards and Related Traditions Picture," www.santalady.com/cards.html)

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