The Bonifatiuswerk of German Catholics – a church aid organisation – has begun efforts to ban Santa Claus this Christmas because of his commercial hype. They are calling for "Santa Claus-free zones."
The organisation views Santa as "an invention of the advertising industry designed to boost sales" and as "a representative of consumer society who has little to do with the historical figure of St Nicolas."
The group does not want to do away with Santa entirely, rather just the commercialized version. In fact, the organization would like to see the present Santa replaced with the more charitable, and traditional, St Nicolas.
St Nicolas, who is the patron saint of children, is described on the group's website as "a helper in need who reminds us to be kind, to think of our neighbours, and to give the gift of happiness."
Far from being on the margins of German society, this campaign is actually being supported by several German TV celebrities.
"Unlike Santa Claus, Nicolas wants to give children inner riches and not just encourage them to strive for material wealth," said Nina Ruege, a German TV presenter.
The Telegraph reports that the word Santa Claus comes from the Dutch Sinterklaas, which means St Nicolas. In 1808, the American author Washington Irving created a modern version, depicting him as a jolly Dutchman.
In 1863, a German immigrant called Thomas Nast drew a short plump Santa for Harper's Weekly and gave him his traditional red clothing. The artist Haddon Sundblom then finished Santa as he is widely known today when he drew a larger-than-life grandfatherly figure for Coca-Cola.