These 1.5 inch whimsical Santa ornaments are tiny red ball
ornaments with Santa characteristics attached to them.
There are brown shoes just underneath the white Santa ornament beard
and pink tongue that is sticking out in jest. There are hands held
up on either side on the Santa face like moose or reindeer antlers.
The Santa Claus ornaments have a large nose between the 2 blue
beaded eyes. There is a gold crown on top of the red ball
ornament that is holding a white woven string.
History of the Modern American Santa Claus
Born in the United States of mixed ethnic and religious heritage,
Santa Claus embodies the American ideal of the nation as a great
melting pot of cultural identities. Santa Claus became an important
folk figure in the second half of the nineteenth century, about the
time when Americans were beginning to celebrate Christmas in
large numbers. Santa Claus bears a good deal of resemblance to
his closest relative, the old European gift bringer St. Nicholas.
Indeed “St. Nick” serves as one of Santa’s nicknames.
Many popular songs tell of his North Pole and Christmas Eve
activities. Nearly every American child can tell you that Santa is a
plump, old man with a white beard who wears a baggy red suit and cap
trimmed with white fur. Many send letters to his North Pole
workshop describing the gifts they would like to receive for Christmas.
They eagerly await Christmas Eve, when he loads his sled with toys
for good girls and boys and flies around the world, sliding down
chimneys to place the presents under decorated Christmas trees.
As if to confirm this Christmas fairy tale, men in Santa suits
regularly appear on street corners, at office parties, and in department
and toy stores around Christmas time.
