Tuesday 14 December 2010


Many people decorate their homes, both inside and outside, with Father Christmas figures. But the last few years there has been increasing criticism of the use of these as a symbol of Christmas.

In Norwegian we call Father Christmas, Julenissen.

8 comments:

Lowell said...

Why the criticism?

What's really funny is that the birth of Jesus was not celebrated in the emerging church for the first 400 years! I don't know why people get all worked up about it now...

I love these Father Christmas figures...they are jolly good fun!

Luis Gomez said...

I like this little guy. I just wish people in general were more tolerant and less of a "purist".

Kate said...

Perhaps we just need to honour one another, our cultural rituals, and our different religion in order to get along. I don't think that it's really that difficult, and wish that everyone would give it an honest try!!

Great photo. Love Father Christmas!

cieldequimper said...

This one looks cosy!

Jørgen Carlsen said...

It is a very fine julenisse - I like decoration to be more discrete than is seen often.

VP said...

Go Father Christmas, Julenisse or Babbo Natale!
We'll never betray you!

TheChieftess said...

I guess political correctness has gone global!!! UGH!!!

My home is filled with Saint Nick or Santa Claus or Kris Kringle or Father Christmas or whatever you choose to call him...I've collected Santas from all over the world...the most recent two from Stockholm, Sweden and St. Petersburg, Russia. Anyone who criticizes Santa doesn't understand the history behind this figure and only sees the commercial, gift mongering symbol that he has become in the corporate/retail world.

Thank you for letting me vent on this one!! And I love your Santa!!!

Shannon said...

I like your holiday pictures, this one really stands out.
It was interesting reading people's thoughts on it too.
My take on it is Christmas means different things to different people and how they want to express that is up to them and unless it harms another person, people should just back off the criticisms.