Nutcracker, Santa Claus, Three Wise Men — Know The Stories Behind Them

No Christmas would be complete without a few characters like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, who have interesting stories behind them.

Christmas is not the same without the familiar fun characters that reappear every year. They are celebrated for their roles in the festival from bringing gifts to being a symbol of Christmas blessings.

Here are some of the important ones-

The Three Wise Men (Kings): In Christian tradition, it is believed that three wise men also known as biblical Magi travelled from faraway lands from the east, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh following the divine light to visit Jesus after his birth. Their presence continues to be recognised and they are often displayed bowing and presenting gifts to the infant in the Nativity Scene. There are various stories regarding the identity of the wise men and although there are no details about it in the Bible it is generally considered that they came from Persia (modern-day Iran). 

Santa Claus: The modern-day Santa Claus is based on Saint Nicholas a 4th-century Greek Christian bishop of Myra, who was known for giving gifts. Born to a wealthy family, he was known for secret gift-giving. According to some stories, he would put coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him. He is also known to have rescued three girls from being forced into prostitution by dropping a sack of gold coins through the window of their house each night for three nights so their father could pay a dowry for each of them. The popular Santa Claus figure is a portly man with a white beard who wears thick red clothes with fur trims & lives at the North Pole. He rides a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer on Christmas Eve. He is believed to keep a list of good and naughty children based on which gifts are distributed.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: According to a popular carol, Rudolph was a shy reindeer who was very conscious about his bright red nose and was often mocked by other reindeer. However, one foggy night Santa Claus asked Rudolph to lead the sleigh as his bright nose illuminated the way. This fictional character was created by Robert Lewis May in a 1939 booklet he wrote and was published by Montgomery Ward, a department store after which its popularity boomed.
Christmas Elves: In western traditions especially Germanic mythology, elves are small supernatural human-like creatures. There are references in Norse legend and other Scandinavian and Celtic cultures and myths regarding elves, fairies and nature spirits. In the late 19th century elves were also connected with Christmas. They are believed to be helpers of Santa Claus and are depicted as the people behind preparing the gifts. They are commonly shown as human-like creatures but with pointy ears and wear red or green clothes.

Christmas Angels: In Christian traditions, angels are considered messengers of God. They often appear as intermediaries delivering important messages. Angels play an important role in Christmas from informing Mother Mary about carrying God’s child to proclaiming the birth of the Messiah to the shepherds. Angels are part of the nativity scenes and also Christmas décor. 

Nutcracker doll: This popular decorative is part of German folklore. The doll resembles a toy soldier and in German traditions, the doll protects the house by keeping evil spirits out. The dolls are also supposed to bring luck and prosperity. The dolls became even more popular because of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ‘The Nutcracker’, an 1892 ballet adaptation of E. T. A. Hoffmann's 1816 story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". The story features a toy soldier. After World War II, nutcracker dolls became popular even outside Europe after American soldiers took the dolls home as souvenirs.