It’s that time of year again: the Christmas season has begun! And while we’re all stocking up on gifts and serving up delicious Christmas dinners for our families, we actually give little thought to where the holiday and Santa Claus really come from. Because who has ever wondered why Santa Claus wears a red-and-white suit? Or why these colors are central to Christmas celebrations in the first place?
The theories are endless. Some trace the origins of the Santa Claus story and Christmas traditions back to the story of Saint Nicholas, a fourth-century saint known for his generosity. Another theory links Santa’s red-and-white color scheme to a brilliant Coca-Cola advertising campaign. And while this may well be true, there is also some evidence suggesting that the somewhat hazy origins of Mr. Santa Claus may predate the creation of the ice-cold beverage by a long shot. One particularly interesting theory suggests that Santa draws his influences from Siberian shamanism and the use of Amanita muscaria, a red psychedelic mushroom with white spots that is also known here in the Netherlands as the fly agaric.
Was Santa Claus a shaman?
The image of Santa Claus and our Christmas traditions have existed for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. They can be traced back to pre-Christian times, with their roots deeply embedded in paganism and Norse mythology. The period around December 25 has always been one of celebration. The Vikings, for example, had the ancient Midwinter festival, Yule, which took place in the Scandinavian countries between the winter solstice (December 21) and the Jólablót (Yule Sacrifice) (January 12). The Romans, in turn, had the festival of Saturnalia, an ancient celebration in honor of the god Saturn, which was held from December 17 through December 23.
But the most striking December celebration? Those took place in Siberian and Arctic regions, where shamans would visit the homes of local residents bearing a bag full of magic mushrooms as a gift. “Santa Claus is a modern counterpart to a shaman, who consumed mind-altering plants and fungi to communicate with the spirit world,” says John Rush, an anthropologist and instructor at Sierra College. “Until a few hundred years ago, these practicing shamans or priests were connected to the older traditions of gathering Amanita muscaria (the Sacred Mushroom). They dried them and then gave them as gifts during the winter solstice,” he continues.
‘Gifts under the tree’
Amanita muscaria is found throughout the Northern Hemisphere under coniferous trees and birches, just like the many gifts found under the Christmas tree today. This explains the tradition of the Christmas tree and the gifts, wrapped in red and white, just like the mushrooms that grow under the tree. But what about the decorations in the tree? Well, there’s an explanation for that, too. Amanita muscaria is actually a fairly poisonous mushroom, which may be why the shamans of that time hung fresh Amanita muscaria to dry on tree branches, just like the colorful ornaments on a Christmas tree.
Even Santa’s flying reindeer might have a connection to these special mushrooms! Reindeer are generally common in Europe and Siberia, and just like the human inhabitants of these regions, they also consumed mushrooms.
Harvard University biologist Donald Pfister suggests that Siberians who ate the mushrooms may have simply hallucinated that the grazing reindeer were actually flying. Research has shown that reindeer do indeed love Amanita muscaria. Andrew Haynes, deputy editor-in-chief of a pharmaceutical journal, wrote in 2010 that the animals intentionally seek out the red and white spotted mushroom in their habitat because they “have a desire to experience altered states of consciousness.” Even Rudolph likes to trip out every now and then!
Reindeer as a ‘spirit animal’
According to Carl Ruck, a professor at Boston University, reindeer are even the “spirit animals” of the shaman. Many indigenous peoples of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and parts of Russia have a close relationship with the animal. Most notably, the Sami, who inhabit Lapland—the northernmost region of Finland, often cited as the geographical location of Santa Claus and his elves. Reindeer herding is an important aspect of Sami culture: in Norway and Sweden, reindeer herding is legally protected as an exclusive Sami livelihood, and only people of Sami descent with reindeer-herding ancestors may own reindeer.
In conclusion, while all theories about the origins of Christmas traditions may contain some elements of truth, this one is certainly the most unique (and fun!).
