Subject: Re: Coke and Santa Meme
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 97 07:38:28 -0500
From: "Wade T.Smith" <wade_smith@harvard.edu>
To: <memetics@mmu.ac.uk>
I forward this from another list I am on- yes, it is an UL, not even a
good one, since it falls so swiftly before only cursory research. Santa
Claus is derived in great part as well from Sinterklaaus (sp?), who
brings gifts on Dec. 6 and has helpers as well.
>> "Prior to Sundblom's paintings, there was no clear image of Santa Claus
>> that dominated the public mind. St. Nick was variously depicted --
>> sometimes tall and sometimes elfin, sometimes decked in the robes of a
>> bishop and sometimes wearing the animal skin tunic of a norse huntsman. But
>> after Sundblom began creating Coca-Cola's holiday advertisements in 1931,
>> his Santa became part of North American culture and tradition."
>
>> [Dr. Howard Collinson, the consulting curator on a 1991 exhibition (Santa
>> -- The Real Thing at the Royal Ontario Museum) featuring 26 original oil
>> paintings by the late artist Haddon Sundblom, quoted from the museum's
>> "Atria" (Vol. 10, No. 1; Nov./Dec. 1991).]
snopes notes:
>"A standardized Santa Claus appears to New York children. Height, weight,
>stature are almost exactly standardized, as are the red garments, the hood
>and the white whiskers. The pack full of toys, ruddy cheeks and nose,
>bushy eyebrows and a jolly, paunchy effect are also inevitable parts of
>the requisite make-up."
>
>The New York Times -- 27 November 1927. (Four years before Sundblom's
>first Santa advertisement for Coca-Cola.)
Thank you for this. I had begun of late to put some weight into
Collinson's
assertion.
Clement Moore's 1822 poem (first published in 1823 under the title
"Account
of a Visit from St. Nicholas") probably rates as the second major
influence
on the evolving American Santa (Washington Irving's 1809 "History of New
York" being the first) and Thomas Nast's 1869 full-colour illustrations
for
an edition of Moore's poem ranking third. Moore must have seen Irving's
account of a dream about St. Nick (Book 1, Chapter 5, of his history)
since
it describes smoke circling Santa's head as well as the gesture of putting
a finger alongside his nose.
-- "Old Santeclaus with much delight His reindeer drives the frosty night O'er chimney tops, and track of snow To bring his yearly gifts to you."[Arthur J. Stansbury in his 1821 (!) "The Children's Friend: Number III. A New-Year's Present to the Little Ones from Five to Twelve".]
***************** Wade T. Smith morbius@channel1.com | "There ain't nothin' you wade_smith@harvard.edu | shouldn't do to a god." morbius@cyberwarped.com | ******* http://www.channel1.com/users/morbius/ *******
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