"Santa Claus" - Word of the Day from the OED

[Dave Monroe]

 OED Online Word of the Day

**
  *Santa Claus* SECOND EDITION 1989   Orig. *U.S.*

([image: {sm}]sænt[image: {schwa}] [image: {sm}]kl[image: {revc}][image:
{lm}]z)  Also 9 *Santiclaus*; *dial.* and *colloq.* *Santy*. [a. Du.
dial. *Sante
Klaas* (Du. *Sint Klaas*), Saint Nicholas: see NICHOLAS.]

    *a.* In nursery language, the name of an imaginary personage, who is
supposed, in the night before Christmas day, to bring presents for children,
a stocking being hung up to receive his gifts. Also, a person wearing a red
cloak or suit and a white beard, to simulate the supposed Santa Claus to
children, esp. in shops or on shopping streets. Also *transf.*, *fig.*, *
attrib.*, and *ellipt.* as *Santa*.
  Now virtually synonymous with *Father Christmas*. *1773* *N.Y. Gaz.* 26
Dec. 3/1 Last Monday the Anniversary of St. Nicholas, otherwise called St. A
Claus, was celebrated at Protestant-Hall. *1808* *Salmagundi* 25 Jan. 407
The noted St. Nicholas, vulgarly called Santaclaus[image: {em}]of all the
saints in the kalendar the most venerated by true hollanders, and their
unsophisticated descendants. *1821* *Weekly Visitor* IV. 262/1 For time
immemorial the Dutch had a tradition, that there existed a being of no *earthly
birth*, who was called *Santa Claus*. *1828*
LONGFELLOW<http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-l2.html#longfellow>in
*Life* (1891) I. 152 Gew-gaws for the *Bifana*, who acts here the same
comedy for children that Santiclaus does in America. *1850* SUSAN WARNER *Wide
Wide World* xxviii, I used to think that Santa Claus came down the chimney.
*1863* C. M. YONGE<http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-y.html#c-m-yonge>
*Chr. Names* I. 213 The Dutch element in New England has introduced Santa
Klaus to many a young American who knows nothing of St. Nicholas or of any
saint's day. *1872* B.
HARTE<http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-h2.html#b-harte>(
*title*) How Santa Claus came to Simpson's Bar. *1886* P. STAPLETON *Major's
Christmas* 201 Papas and mammas..planned the Santa Claus performance which
was to come when the inquisitive eyes were closed in slumber. *1909* *Chicago
Daily News* 10 Aug. 8/3 Uncle Sam is by no means an impartial Santa Claus. *
1913* *Sat. Even. Post* 6 Dec. 50/1 If you want to act the part of Santa
this Christmas. *1925* T.
DREISER<http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-d2.html#t-dreiser>
*Amer. Trag.* (1926) I. II. xxix. 356, I know something Santy has brought my
Dad that he'll like. *1932* J. BEAMES *Gateway* vi. 108 You're just as
kiddish as what you was when you'd be up at three in the mornin' to see what
Santy had brung you. *1934* *Amer. Mercury* May 5/2 The Santa Claus theory
of relief may be appropriate to a genuine emergency like an earthquake or a
big fire. *1943* K.
TENNANT<http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-t.html#k-tennant>
*Ride on Stranger* iii. 24 Come on down, Ma. Come and see what Santa's
brought you. *1956* H.
GOLD<http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-g.html#h-gold>
*Man who was not with It* (1965) xxxii. 310 It was practically Christmas,
too, with all the Santy Clauses peddling in the streets. *1957* [see GOOD-
TIME *a.*]. *1973* 'D.
HALLIDAY'<http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-h.html#d-halliday>
*Dolly & Starry Bird* i. 2 The Zodiac Trust is the Santa Claus of worldwide
astronomy. A private foundation richly funded.., it makes grants to
struggling centres. *1975* *Times* 10 Dec. 4/4 Being a man was a genuine
occupational qualification for a Santa Claus. *1976* M.
MACHLIN<http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-m.html#m-machlin>
*Pipeline* ix. 103 A huge, heavy-set man,..with a bushy unkempt Santa Claus
beard, walked unsteadily toward their table. *1976* *Scotsman* 24 Dec.
(Weekend Suppl.) 1/1 Stop rakin', Rikki. Santy says ye've had enough. *1976*
*Scottish Daily Express* 27 Dec. 2/8 She was one of nine women charged with
prostitution in Dallas, Texas, for propositioning Vice Squad officers
disguised as Santas. *1977* *Times* 24 Dec. 16/5 Santa must have been
updated over the years. Presumably girls hang out their tights now, instead
of a solitary stocking.

    *b.* (*collect. sing.*) Christmas presents; Christmas delicacies. *U.S.*
*dial.* *1929* W.
FAULKNER<http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-f.html#w-faulkner>
*Sound & Fury* 107 Buy yourself some Santy Claus. *1939* *These are our
Lives* (Federal Writers' Project, U.S.) 22 One Christmas we ask him for
fifty dollars for some clothes and a little Santy Claus for the chil'en.

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