Almost exactly one-third of our way through National Tie Month! Today's tie shows Santa skiing right through a reindeer game of football. Shelving those thoughts, here's a completely different subject: Many librarians celebrate 10 December as Dewey Decimal System Day, marking the birthday of Melvil Dewey (1851-1931).
The Feast of St. Nicholas on 6 December honors the death of the real Nicholas, Bishop of Myra (270-343 CE). He was known as a champion of generosity, especially toward children. His religious leadership included participating in the Council of Nicaea (in 325) which formulated the doctrine of the Trinity. In the centuries after his death, tales of his generosity and faith created high veneration for his saintly character. By the early 19th century the fictional character we call Santa Claus emerged through legend and fantasy, focusing on St. Nick's powers to distribute gifts. My tie shows Santa and his reindeer playing games (and note the bright red nose on each reindeer, as in the story of Rudolph).
For the Twelfth Day of Christmas I'm wearing my tie featuring Santa Claus skiing through a reindeer football game. When three-year-old granddaughter Evelyn saw it she immediately started asking questions: "Why do those reindeer have helmets? Why aren't they flying with Santa's sleigh? Which reindeer is that (pointing to each one)? Is that one Rudolph?" I tried to explain that the basic amusement on the tie is that Santa is skiing through the football game, but she was more interested in talking about the North Pole (where the elves live, she said) and the reindeers' names. I brought some reality into the conversation by showing her some photos of the ice at the real North Pole, including some icebreaker ships. I assured her that the stories about Santa and reindeer were lots of fun, but I took the chance to say that it was all made up to have fun with gifts, and I also mentioned the real St. Nicholas!
For the Feast of St. Nicholas I'm wearing a tie that celebrates the legend of "reindeer games," where Santa interrupts a football game by skiing through the scene. The idea of playful reindeer connected with Santa Claus seems to have originated in the 1939 poem "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer," written by Robert L. May. It gained popularity with a 1948 animated movie and Gene Autry's hit song in 1949. I have no idea how football or skiing became part of the legend.
It's Saint Nicholas' Day, this year falling on the 8th day of Advent. The number of days in Advent varies from 22 to 28; this year it's 26 days long. My tie shows the "jolly St. Nick" of modern legend, schussing through a reindeer football game.
From Wikipedia: "Saint Nicholas of Myra (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also known as Nicholas of Bari, was an early Christian bishop of Greek descent from the maritime city of Myra in Asia Minor (modern-day Demre, Turkey) during the time of the Roman Empire. Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nicholas the Wonderworker. Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors, merchants, archers, repentant thieves, prostitutes, children, brewers, pawnbrokers, unmarried people, and students."
