Apart from my obvious passion for card games in general, I also collect decks of cards, some of which I have showcased in videos posted to this blog. Yet I've realized that I have so far never really had any decks that somehow capture the spirit of the festive season. I have as yet no Christmas-themed decks.
A while ago a friend of mine showed me a vintage deck of cards that had been published by Coca Cola, featuring what has now become the globally accepted stereotypical Father Christmas character donning a red costume trimmed with white fur. As with most other things that capture my imagination I began to research this modern Christmas Icon and discovered some interesting facts in the process.
Fact one, the red garbed Father Christmas is a modern creation thought up by the Coca Cola company as part of their marketing campaigns. Fact Two, the actual character that has come to epitomize Christmas was in fact the creation of an American illustrator by the name of Haddon Sundblom. The lovable and friendly looking Father Christmas, first debuted in a 1931 Coca Cola marketing campaign.
Before Sundblom, Santa Claus or Father Christmas was a totally different character which Victorian illustrators garbed in green clothes rather than red. Yet in turn, all these variations that appeared over the centuries in legends and lore, were themselves based on a saintly man Nikolaos of Myra, a 4th Century saint with a reputation for secret gift-giving. The saint, or Saint Nikolaos was in turn the inspiration for what became modern day Santa Claus or Father Christmas. To help you bridge the gap between "Saint Nikolaos" and Santa Claus, let me just add that the latter name is derived from "Sinterklaas" the dutch adaptation of the former title.
Regardless, back to my current dilemma, I really need to fill in this lacuna I currently have in my collection, especially since I tend to love this holiday season and the spirit it of friendship it tends to foster. Will let you know how my search goes.
Until Next time, Happy Christmas!
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