Our Santa Claus collectible figurines are 15 inches tall and 7 inches across. The Santa Claus figurine is wearing a blue and red velvet Santa hat with a gold bell on the end and gold, green, red, blue and purple sequins and beads on the cuff. The Santa Claus figurine has a long sleeved, red velvet suit with a red velvet button surrounded with gold beads and white velvet cuffs and white velvet around the hem decorated with gold, red, blue, pink and green sequins. The Santa Claus Christmas figurine also has green velvet boots, green velvet mittens and a white cotton rag mop style beard. The Santa Claus collectible figurine is holding a blue velvet stocking with red, purple, pink and gold sequins.
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Old World Christmas Santa Claus Santa Claus truly represents a veritable melting pot of cultures, beliefs and traditions. As immigrants arrived in the New World centuries ago, along with their hopes and dreams for a better future, they brought with them their beliefs and customs surrounding the holidays. The Germans brought their Belznickel and Christkindl, the Scandinavians their gift giving elves and the Dutch introduced the Sinterklaas, all representing the celebration of St. Nicholas.
The American legend of Santa Claus embodies childhood innocence and magical delight, as Santa Claus is the bearer of gifts and treats for children everywhere. With his home at the wintry North Pole, he and his merry elves created the toys that put the magic into the holidays. He was a kind and gentle figure, and starry eyed children awaited his annual visit with spirited anticipation.
The legend of Santa Claus is derived in part from the benevolent European figure St. Nicholas, and in part from American writers who wrote children’s poems in the nineteenth century. Clement Moore, who wrote “A Visit From St. Nicholas” in 1822, and Thomas Nast, the famed political cartoonist who depicted Santa Claus in the 1860’s as an elfin figure, contributed greatly to this fantasy. Their descriptions of the jolly man clad in red and white created the folk hero children around the world dream about on Christmas Eve. This American patron saint of children certainly brings joy and delight to all during the holidays.
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History of The Santa Claus Express:
The Santa Claus Express is a generic name applied to a number of holiday railroad excursions throughout the United States. Often sponsored by railroad museums and incorporating appropriately decorated vintage locomotives and cars, the Santa Claus Express may offer scenic tours beginning in late November and continuing through December. By other schedules, the Express stops at towns and villages along the line, at which time professional or amateur performers aboard provide a Yuletide concert or show for citizens awaiting outside.
The Santa Claus Express also is a vehicle for delivering toys and gifts to underprivileged children, an example of which can be found in Appalachia. Since the mid 1440s on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, officials of CSX Transportation have furnished a locomotive and cars so that the Santa Claus Express could wind its way from Pikeville, Kentucky, across Virginia, and into Kingsport, Tennessee. All along the tracks, children and families gather, many having camped overnight to secure strategic positions. When the train slows at each whistle stop, children run behind as Santa, who addresses everyone as “darlin’,” and his assistants, local businessmen, toss candy, small toys, and other gifts from the platform on the last car into eager hands. Local merchants, some of whom were once among those children chasing the train, donate the gifts, which become the only Christmas presents that many children in this region will receive each year.
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