Korean Job Discussion Forums

Boodleheimer · Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 8:45 pm Post subject: When did Santa move to Finland?

i've been talking about US christmas traditions and i asked the class where Santa lived... i guess they've all been watching Finnish airline commercials (perhaps the one that looks like a Coke commercial, but it's got reindeer), because they all said Finland.

SeoulShakin · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Location: Seoul

One of my Korean friends (who went to High School and University in Canada) also told me Santa lives in Finland. That's what all Koreans are told when they are kids.

I told him that Santa is from the North Pole (which I argued was part of Canada, but that's besides the point - I was just trying to get him going). He said "Nothing is at the North Pole, how could Santa live there? That's stupid. Obviously he's from Finland!"

Who knew.

ajgeddes · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Location: Yongsan

I love it. Arguing over where a fictional character is from. What's next? Jesus?

oldfatfarang · Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: On the road to somewhere.

Santa does indeed live in Finland. He lives in a small town up north (in Lapland) called Rovaniemi.

Years ago, I hitched from NZ to the top of Finland (to see the Midnight Sun). One of my rides dropped me off in Rovaniemi and they took me to visit Santa. A bit embarrassing sitting on this old guy's knee - but the Fins went crazy wild when he said, "You're a long way from home."

The Artic Circle disects Rovaniemi and I had some fun jumping over the line. I stayed with some Laps (reindeer people) and caught a salmon. A magical place - and a magical experience. It even convinced an old cynic like me that there really is a Santa Claus.

endo · Joined: 14 Mar 2004 Location: Seoul...my home

The Santa Clause character is essentally a representation of an indeginous shaman from the arctic regions of Europe.

So yes, Finland could concievably be the origin of the the Santa Clause story.

Although it goes much deeper than that.

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Santa just better watch out for trolls.

jennateacher · Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 10:59 pm Post subject:

He does indeed live in Finnland. I have met him. He is a respected urologist and head of a hospital in Helsinki for the rest of the year. He is my friend Paula's father. I have called him Dr. Santa Claus for about 10 years. When I was visiting in Feb of 1998, he gave us his car and took off on a cross country ski trip up in the Lapplands. He often wears red too.

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

Binch Lover · Joined: 25 Jul 2005

Santa comes from Lapland. Lapland is in Finland. Therefore Santa is from Finland. Pretty simple.

ajgeddes · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Location: Yongsan

And what about the Flying Spaghetti Monster? Where's he from?

mistermasan · Joined: 20 Sep 2007 Location: 10+ yrs on Dave's ESL cafe

and jesus is a christian.
and confucius was chinese.

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Santa Claus is really based on a historical person who actually lived, just like Jesus. If you believe that Jesus really lived, why not Saint Nicholas? Neither of them can help the mythologising their personas underwent post mortem.

I've been rallying for a big chance in the Christian Trinity--kick out the Holy Spirit and replace it with Santa Claus. Think about it--kids love Santa, but who cares about the Holy Spirit? It's got as much personality as an answering machine, and pretty well functions as one. Santa's popularity at times surpasses Jesus'.

mistermasan · Joined: 20 Sep 2007 Location: 10+ yrs on Dave's ESL cafe

santa is dead. jesus, if he ever lived, is dead. all we have is each other, here, and now.

love your neighbor as you love yourself...but i don't even know my neighbors nanes.

nobbyken · Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Location: Yongin ^^

mj roach · Joined: 16 Mar 2003

"What's next?"....news flash...Cinderella is Chinese!!