https://teachersnotes.net/2021/12/09/twas-the-night-before-christmas-poem-read-aloud/Often referred to as "The Night Before Christmas," this charming poem significantly inspired our modern view of Santa. It shaped the gift-giving tradition during the Christmas holiday and added a festive spirit to the occasion. However, Civil War Cartoonist Thomas Nast created the image portrayed of Santa Claus that we recognize today.
https://www.widewalls.ch/magazine/thomas-nast-santa-claus
The image of Santa that many people recognize today originated during the Civil War, inspired by Cartoonist Thomas Nast, an artist renowned for his powerful Civil War illustrations. As a German immigrant, he pulled details from legends he heard as a boy and from New York's Santa Claustraditions. Nast's Santa was an elf with a white beard, fur coat, and big buckle. He was the first to show him living at the North Pole.
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1929, via Metropolitan Museum of Art under CC 1.0
Cartoonist Thomas Nast first drew Santa Claus in January 1863 for Harper's Weekly. Nast’s first image of Santa was mainly a form of propaganda and appeared on the cover of the January 3, 1863 edition of Harper’s Weekly. Santa is seen sitting on his reindeer-pulled sleigh, distributing gifts to Union troops. An American flag flies above him, and a star-topped sign nearby reads, “Welcome, Santa Claus.” The letters “U” and “S” appear in the top corners, and copies of Harper’s Weekly lie scattered about for the soldiers’ reading enjoyment.
To clarify Santa's position during the Civil War, he is dressed in a star-patterned jacket and striped pants. He holds a puppet resembling Jefferson Davis, with "JEFF" written on its chest. An explanation states, "Santa entertains the soldiers by predicting Jeff Davis' future. He is tightening the rope around the puppet's neck, and Jefferson Davis appears to be struggling against his fate."
To clarify Santa's position during the Civil War, he is dressed in a star-patterned jacket and striped pants. He holds a puppet resembling Jefferson Davis, with "JEFF" written on its chest. An explanation states, "Santa entertains the soldiers by predicting Jeff Davis' future. He is tightening the rope around the puppet's neck, and Jefferson Davis appears to be struggling against his fate."
The image from Christmas 1863 shows the hopeful mood in the North after important victories in Gettysburg, Vicksburg, and Chattanooga. The central scene features a soldier on leave returning home to celebrate Christmas with his family.
In the top left, Santa checks to see if the children are asleep before delivering toys from his sack. In the morning, shown in the top right, the children wake up excited to check their stockings and open their gifts. At the bottom left, a light shines on baby Jesus in a manger, highlighting the holiday’s meaning. The bottom middle shows a family gathering around a table, enjoying Christmas dinner. Finally, in the bottom right, people wear their best clothes and greet each other as they go to church to celebrate Christ’s birth. From 1863 to 1886, Thomas Nast created 33 illustrations of Santa Claus for Harper's Weekly, significantly shaping the modern image of Santa that we recognize today. In his drawings, Nast depicted Santa coming down chimneys, filling stockings, and watching over sleeping children. Many of these illustrations were published during the Civil War and served as political propaganda. Not surprisingly, Nast strongly supported abolition, civil rights, and the Republican Party. Even after the war ended, he continued to use Santa Claus to convey important political messages.
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New Release: Available on December 23rd
The relentless grip of destiny is as steadfast as the power of attraction. Will a proxy marriage, a ready-made family, and the spirit of Christmas bring more than either of them bargained for, yet everything they need?
New Release: Available on December 23rd
The relentless grip of destiny is as steadfast as the power of attraction. Will a proxy marriage, a ready-made family, and the spirit of Christmas bring more than either of them bargained for, yet everything they need?
He's a former Union cavalry lieutenant who now serves as the guardian of his three nieces. Betrayed by his former fiancée and still troubled by his memories of war, Grady Buchanan is cynical and determined to keep the world at a distance.“If I must marry, the woman should be the quiet type, content to focus on tending to the family, leaving me to my solitude and peace.”
She's a spirited bootlegger’s daughter from the south who is on the run. Bethany Murphy is stubborn and resilient, looking for a fresh start, and determined to achieve her happily ever after. “Even chickens understand the importance of companionship. My husband doesn’t realize what he’s missing; fortunately, I don’t give up easily.”
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Fans of historical romance set in the late 19th -century will enjoy stories combining, History, Humor, and Romance, emphasizing Faith, Friends, and Good, Clean Fun.
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