Does the world need a female Santa?
It's officially the festive season and every shopping mall you go to is decorated from top to bottom, in blinking lights, tinsel, ornaments and a big chair for a holly jolly bearded man to sit in. However over the past couple of days, people around the world have complained that there should be a female Kris Kringle, or at least a gender neutral one.
In a survey conducted by Graphic Springs, a logo design company, polled a number of people from the U.S. and the U.K. to ask them what they imagine Santa Claus would be like. The company then created a "Modern Santa" based on the results of the majority. Santa was reimagined to have tattoos, wear skinny jeans, sneakers and ride a hoverboard.
The company then followed to ask, If you could ‘rebrand’ Santa for modern society, what gender would he be? . The survey showed that an overwhelming 72 percent still believe that Santa Claus should be male, many for the reason of tradition, while 27 percent think that Santa should be female or gender neutral. According to the Indy 100 from the Independent, Santa should be rebranded as a 'meterosexual', meaning that he should be a heterosexual, urban male who enjoys shopping, fashion and other things which associate him with homosexuality.
Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas, Kris Kringle, Saint Nick, Father Christmas, or simply Santa, is traditionally a man who on the night of Christmas Eve travels all around the world delivering presents to the good or nice children and leaving lumps of coal to the bad or naughty ones. Saint Nicholas was a 4th Century, Greek Christian bishop who used to bring gifts to the poor. The modern Santa that we know today is a merged version of Saint Nicholas and 16th Century English, Father Christmas who was a spirited jolly man in green robes and celebrated being merry by bringing peace, joy, good food and wine and revelry. In early 20th century images Santa is pictured making toys and from there emerged the idea that he had elves as helpers to make said toys.
As much as gender equality is needed across the board, perhaps some traditions, like Father Christmas should remain strictly gender based and maybe if we would like to keep things equal while still respecting tradition, another chair should be placed next to Santa's, one for his wife Mrs Claus and let children sit on her lap too.
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| Mall setup of Santa Claus and Mrs Claus. |
In Newton Aycliffe, England, two women have volunteered to fill in the position of Father Christmas during a festive tour which is held on Christmas Eve and this has caused quite a row among the Brits. One of the women who volunteered was actually chosen thinking that it would be no big deal but in Newton Aycliffe it appears to be somewhat of a big deal, so much so, that whether there should be a female Father Christmas was put to a vote. The Committee voted on allowing the woman to take part in the festivities as Santa Clause, however a member of the towns local council, Arun Chandran, threatened to overturn the vote as Father Christmas is a male role and has always been a male role. Chandran pointed out that there is no shortage of men to fill in the position for the festival and therefore the does not see why a woman should take the spot.
My understanding is that Santa Claus otherwise called Father Christmas is a male role. I have no issue with a Mrs Claus. But Santa Claus being a man is a long-held tradition accepted by the cast majority of society without question and change just for the sake of that will only serve to attract negative publicity- Chandrun on a female taking filling the postion of Santa Claus in the towns Christmas Festival.
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| Graphic Spring's Survey Results for a Modern Santa |
The company then followed to ask, If you could ‘rebrand’ Santa for modern society, what gender would he be? . The survey showed that an overwhelming 72 percent still believe that Santa Claus should be male, many for the reason of tradition, while 27 percent think that Santa should be female or gender neutral. According to the Indy 100 from the Independent, Santa should be rebranded as a 'meterosexual', meaning that he should be a heterosexual, urban male who enjoys shopping, fashion and other things which associate him with homosexuality.
Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas, Kris Kringle, Saint Nick, Father Christmas, or simply Santa, is traditionally a man who on the night of Christmas Eve travels all around the world delivering presents to the good or nice children and leaving lumps of coal to the bad or naughty ones. Saint Nicholas was a 4th Century, Greek Christian bishop who used to bring gifts to the poor. The modern Santa that we know today is a merged version of Saint Nicholas and 16th Century English, Father Christmas who was a spirited jolly man in green robes and celebrated being merry by bringing peace, joy, good food and wine and revelry. In early 20th century images Santa is pictured making toys and from there emerged the idea that he had elves as helpers to make said toys.
As much as gender equality is needed across the board, perhaps some traditions, like Father Christmas should remain strictly gender based and maybe if we would like to keep things equal while still respecting tradition, another chair should be placed next to Santa's, one for his wife Mrs Claus and let children sit on her lap too.
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