There is a controversial debate going on at the moment online. It’s about Santa.
Santa Claus or Father Christmas has been the giver of gifts to good children and coal to the naughty ones for as long as the holiday has been present in history.
Children around the world eagerly send him letters enlisting the presents they desire and hope to catch a glimpse of the man himself riding his sleigh pulled by flying reindeer every time the day comes around. There could be one major change happening to this in the future, however.
A survey conducted by logo design company GraphicSprings shows that many people in America and the US, more than 27% to be specific, believe that Santa Claus should be rebranded as a woman or a gender-neutral person.
The survey took designs from approximately 400 people from the US and UK and then 4,000 people voted on the most popular version of the character that was designed by that initial group.
“About 23 percent of respondents think Santa should have an iPhone, while 25 percent said Saint Nicholas should wear sneakers or trainers. Eighteen percent said he should be ‘more hipster,’ while 22 percent said he should ditch the sleigh and reindeer for a flying car,” according to Fox News.
According to the results, the new “modern” Santa has tattoos, a trimmed beard, skinny jeans, trainers, and a hoverboard. The new Santa is also supposed to be tech-savvy and looks like he could be on the cover of GQ magazine if he wanted to.
Approximately one-fourth of respondents also said that Santa should give up the North Pole toy workshop and just acknowledge that, like so many people, he uses Amazon Prime to buy Christmas gifts. Others say he should ride a hoverboard.
When asked what gender a rebranded Santa for modern society ought to be, nearly 30 percent indicated he should be female or gender-neutral. The majority preferred that Santa remain male.
“I picture a woman giving presents,” Andy Souza, a resident of Highland Park, New Jersey said in comments to local outlet News 12 New Jersey. “I just feel like a white, old man giving presents is kind of creepy.”
John Lerman, another New Jersey resident said Santa “can be whatever you want it to be” because “I think Santa is a mystical creature.”
History paints a different picture of the actual man who has become known as Santa Claus.
According to the St. Nicholas Center in Holland, Michigan — whose tagline reads “Discovering the Truth About Santa Claus” — Saint Nicholas was known for his generosity.
“Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships,” the St. Nicholas Center website reads.
Sources: AWM, News 12 New Jersey, Fox13
