Just who is Santa Claus?
Whether it's Papai Noel in Brazil, Santa Claus in the US and Canada, Kaled? Senelis in Lithuania or Babbo Natale in Italy, the bearded gift-bringer is modelled on a third-century bishop, Saint Nicholas of Myra, the patron saint of children. And not just him. A good 200 years later, another saint with the same name appeared: Nicholas of Sion.
St Nicholas, the benefactor
Few historical facts about either of them are still known today, so their life stories have been fused together over the centuries, creating famous Saint Nicholas legends.
There is the story of the gold nuggets: Saint Nicholas is said to have saved three destitute girls from prostitution by throwing gold nuggets through the window of their house at night. That's why Saint Nicholas is often depicted in art with three golden balls or apples. The bishop is said to have had a strong charitable streak and bequeathed his considerable fortune to the poor.
In contrast, the resurrection of three students who were dismembered and placed in a salt barrel is more likely one of the many legends of miracles with which the church has tried to keep people in line since the Middle Ages.
St Nicholas vs the Christ Child
The feast of Saint Nicholas is celebrated on December 6, the probable anniversary of the death of Nicholas of Myra.
That displeased the famous 16th-century reformer, Martin Luther, who had fallen out with the Catholic Church and thus with almost half the world. He objected to the Catholic worship of saints and wanted to link the Christian bringer of gifts to Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ. He wanted to direct people's interest, especially that of children, away from the countless figures of saints and towards Jesus Christ. And so he replaced Saint Nicholas with Christ as the bringer of gifts, which was quickly accepted in Protestant areas.
Since the Reformation, the "Christkind" (Christ Child) has brought Christmas presents in Germany, usually on Christmas Eve, December 24, or a day later, on Christmas Day.
But the custom of Saint Nicholas placing presents in boots on the eve of December 6 did not die out either - after all, gift-giving can be traced back to the story of the three girls and the lumps of gold.
Nowadays, Saint Nicholas Day is still the main gift-giving day in some countries - like Belgium or the Netherlands, where the "Sinterklaasfest" is celebrated.
A sinister companion
In the 16th century, the benevolent Saint Nicholas was joined by a rather malicious antagonist. He was called "Knecht Ruprecht" or "Krampus" in southern Germany, "Hans Muff" in the Rhineland, or "De zwarte Piet" (Black Pete) in Dutch. He carried a rod made of brushwood and was supposed to punish naughty children.
To this day, Knecht Ruprecht accompanies Saint Nicholas - but now only as a sort-of-scary decorative sidekick. The chances of him actually beating children are zero; his real job is to help Saint Nicholas carry the sack of presents and otherwise just scowl menacingly.
The Christkind, on the other hand, comes without a companion, but bears the face of an angel and wings. Although it has Protestant origins, the Christkind is now more common in Catholic areas. Elsewhere, it has been replaced by Santa Claus, a figure whose origin story is a mixture of the legend of Saint Nicholas, the fairy tale of Father Frost - and an incredibly successful advertising campaign.
Father Frost, Papa Noel
Looking at a map of the world showing the different names for the Christmas figure, the regional differences, generally reflecting the linguistic marks of colonial powers, are obvious. The most widespread name is a combination of the words for "father" and "Christmas." In the Spanish-speaking world from Europe to Latin America, for example, there are various spellings of "Papa Noel." In former British colonies and in the United Kingdom, people speak of "Father Christmas" and the French call their Santa Claus "Père Noël."
But South African children await the arrival of Sinterklaas, a legacy of the Dutch colonists, as do children in Indonesia, which was a Dutch colony until 1949.
In Eastern European countries and as far afield as Mongolia, people talk of Papa Winter or Father Frost. That figure goes back to a winter wizard from Slavic mythology and is very similar to Santa Claus in its depictions. He is the personification of winter, and to emphasise this, Father Frost also has a companion in some regions - a snowflake in the form of a delicate girl.
Pagan myths
The contemporary Scandinavian version of Santa Claus has various origins, generally predating Christianisation, when people celebrated midwinter, called Yule. There is the figure of an old man with a fur cape, hood and beard, who travels through the countryside on a reindeer sleigh and distributes nuts to help people survive the harsh winter. Legend has it that he is a descendant of Odin, the most powerful Norse god.
In Norway and Sweden, there is a story about a house spirit ("Tomte") who watched over the house and yard, but only if he was given enough food. Today, it is the Jultomte or Julenissen who brings presents on Christmas Eve - in exchange for food, of course.
The Finnish Joulupukki was once a nasty figure, half man, half goat, who went around to people's homes demanding food, or he would abduct their children. At some point, however, the horns disappeared (as did the child abductions) and the goat-man became a Christmas-man. That's what he is still called in German - "Weihnachtsmann."
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The war that ended, the suffering that didn't
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This mirrors the reality of millions today who, even after the airstrikes have ceased or the conflicts have subsided, must navigate a shattered world with no hope of returning to the life they once knew. Hersey's text forces readers to recognise that Hiroshima is not just a historical event; it is a recurring tragedy, playing out in different forms across the globe. It serves as a stark reminder that, despite decades of progress, war continues to erase entire communities, leaving survivors to pick up the pieces in a world that often turns a blind eye. As we discussed in class, the bombing of Hiroshima has been framed in US narratives as a necessity — an unavoidable act to hasten the end of World War II. According to this perspective, the attack was justified to prevent further casualties and bring about peace. However, Hersey's text deconstructs this view by presenting the personal suffering of civilians, shifting the focus from military strategy to human tragedy. Instead of reinforcing the dominant narrative of triumph and justification, Hiroshima forces readers to confront the devastating, long-term consequences of war on ordinary people — those who had no role in the decisions that sealed their journalistic writing style plays a crucial role in this deconstruction. His detailed, matter-of-fact descriptions strip away political rhetoric, replacing it with an intimate portrayal of loss, pain, and survival. By following the lives of six individuals, he makes the horrors of war accessible and deeply personal, ensuring that history does not erase their suffering in favor of abstract discussions of strategy and victory. The neutrality of his prose makes the destruction even more chilling; there is no embellishment, no overt condemnation — just raw, undeniable reality. In conclusion, Hersey's text forces us to question existing power structures and the limits placed upon them — if any truly exist. The book serves as a reminder that history is often written by the victors, allowing those in power to justify destruction in the name of progress, security, or peace. Ultimately, Hiroshima is more than a historical account — it is a call to remember, to question, and to resist the dangerous normalisation of war and destruction. Syeda Fizza Jafri is a media student and a freelance writer All facts are information are the sole responsibility of the writer
Express Tribune
12-06-2025
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Stoic Roman emperor subject of new exhibition
How do you keep calm in times of crisis? What do people need to be happy? Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius is often quoted online for answers. This once-powerful man would have preferred to be a philosopher. "Look within. Within is the fountain of good, and it will ever bubble up, if thou wilt ever dig." As reported by DW, wise statements like this can be found in the 'Meditations' of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (121-180 CE). He had never intended these reflections for publication, having written them purely for himself, but they have become some of the most widely read writings after the Bible and the Quran. A bestseller, so to speak, which has been translated into numerous languages worldwide. Known today as a philosopher-king, Marcus Aurelius ruled at a time marked by crises and catastrophes. He ascended to the throne in 161 CE, just a few years before the Marcomannic Wars (166-180 CE) – the Marcomanni were Germanic tribes – which would shake the Roman Empire to its foundations. Good governance Archaeologist Marcus Reuter – director of the Rheinisches Landesmuseum – and historian Viola Skiba – director of the Stadtmuseum Simeonstift in Trier, Germany – have co-curated a joint exhibition, in each of their institutions, on Marcus Aurelius, set to run from June 15 to November 23, 2025. Skiba said the themes of the exhibition are more current than they had anticipated. The question of what good leadership looks like has taken on a new urgency, especially in these crisis-ridden and polarised times. At the same time, the question is as old as human history itself, and was clearly a focus in the ancient world. What, according to Marcus Aurelius, distinguishes good governance? "Basically, it is guided by the cardinal virtues of antiquity," said Skiba. Those desirable virtues include wisdom, justice, prudence and moderation. Reuter added that Marcus Aurelius would most likely have considered Donald Trump "not a good leader, and certainly not a role model." But of course, Marcus Aurelius was a product of his time, who grew up within the social structures of antiquity, including acceptance of slavery, unequal rights and brutal wars. But "... he always put the interests of the state first," added Reuter. The construction of the Porta Nigra in Trier — today the city's famous landmark - can also be traced back to Marcus Aurelius. It was part of the city wall that Aurelius had built to protect its citizens. Relevance Aphorisms like the above can seem like mockery coming from a wealthy emperor, but they were meant sincerely. Indeed, Marcus Aurelius cultivated a rather modest lifestyle and even had imperial household items – his private assets – auctioned off when the state was in financial crisis. "As far as I know, no Roman emperor before or after him did that," said Reuter. Marcus Aurelius also apparently spent a lot of time pondering the meaning of life, which is presumably the reason so many young people nowadays are interested in him and his writings. In Reuter's estimation, "his 'Meditations' are a little treasure trove containing something to address nearly every situation in life." Reuter pointed out that Marcus Aurelius' writings don't lend themselves to being read from front to back, but are well-suited to dipping into to find inspiration. They are, after all, the private musings of someone who spent time thinking about what was truly important in life. So it's small wonder that quotes by the Roman emperor can be found all over social media. The exhibition in Trier builds on this contemporary interest in Marcus Aurelius and the topics that occupied him. It's designed to inspire visitors from all over the world to reflect on themselves, society and what a long-ago Roman emperor still has to say to us today. Or, as Skiba put it, "Every society is based on individuals, and if each and every individual asks themselves these philosophical and political questions, then it also works as a whole."
