Here is a taste of Ben Railton‘s piece at The Saturday Evening Post: “How Santa Claus and America Evolved Together Across the 19th Century”:
While Santa Claus did not originate in the U.S., his story and image significantly evolved across 19th century America. And they did so through a series of iconic texts that themselves reflect the growth of the United States over these 100 years. So, for a special holiday Considering History column, here are six texts through which we can trace the evolution of both Santa and America.
Railton considers works by Washington Irving, Clement Clarke Moore, Thomas Nast, Katherine Lee Bates, Virginia O’Hanlon, and L. Frank Baum.
Read the entire piece here.