Ask people to describe Father Christmas most and will speak of a jolly old man with a white beard, a red suit, and black boots. Most people would claim that this is a tradition that has its roots far back in history, but it was not until the 1930s that the familiar image of Santa in his red suit became popular.In the 1822 poem now known as'The Night Before Christmas, Clement Clarke Moore described Santa as a jolly old elf, who looked a bit like a peddler.
He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his sack.
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his sack.
The identity of Santa Claus or Father Christmas has roots in various traditions. The story of St Nicholas a Bishop in the early church who was noted for helping the poor and secretly leaving coins in peoples shoes was the inspiration for the legend of Santa Claus and early pictures of Santa show him wearing a bishops robes.
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