Originally I started Captain Yuletide because I hadn’t seen any “X saves Christmas” stories out of modern kids entertainment, and that’s if they even did a Christmas episode and didn’t just call it “holidays”. It’s also why I started the Christmas special playlist, to find specials that call Christmas…Christmas. To make a series out of it I thought it would be fun to use the various Christmas traditions and lore to form my characters and plots. I kind of miss doing that this year.
So to make up for it, I bring you The Curious Case Of Santa Claus, a 1982 documentary about the origins of Santa Claus, though they missed the part US advertising played in the more famous depiction of Santa. Since this is a storytelling blog, I’m happy a story is included via the framing device for this history lesson of Saint Nicholas.
It’s Christmas Eve and Santa (James Coco) is having a bit of an identity crisis as he tries to figure out all his various depictions. He gets help by talking to a therapist (Jon Pertwee, or the Third Doctor to us Whovians) in New York, because New York is just where Kris Kringle goes to sort his identity issues. Through telling his story to the therapist, can Santa Claus piece together who he is and what he means to the holiday?
While this is a British production, I first saw this on A&E back when it was about Arts And Entertainment, rather than the reality dump it is today. It’s where I learned about Santa around the world, and while it doesn’t cover everything it is a good introduction to the expanded world of Saint Nicholas and Father Christmas…who apparently aren’t the same person according to this story. Enjoy.
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