Have you ever wondered why Santa Claus is often shown wearing red and white clothing? Why do reindeer pull his sleigh? In this article, we unravel the mystery between the iconic Amanita muscaria mushroom and the origins of the beloved Santa Claus legend. Join us on a fascinating journey that might just add a new layer of magic to your holiday celebrations!
The origin of the red and white:
How is it that the jolly man who lives in the North Pole owes his existence to a toxic mushroom? Historians have different claims on the origin of Santa Claus. Stories abound suggesting that some of our holiday traditions stem from the Amanita muscaria, also known as the Fly Agaric. The famous emoji mushroom presents itself frequently throughout pop culture.
Could it’s red cap with white spots have led to our notorious red and white colour scheme of Christmas? Perhaps. However, there are other plausible explanations for the colour. Traditional priest clothing during the 4th century, the time of the famous Saint Nicholas, was known to contain red and white.
The similarities continue
The similarities don’t end at the colour, of course. Let’s take a closer look into the traditions revolving around Santa Claus. What does he do that’s remarkable? The traditions vary from culture to culture, but generally speaking, Santa flies in a sleigh drawn by reindeer, hops down chimneys, and delivers presents. This is where things get interesting: reindeer love A. muscaria mushrooms. They will search under pine trees, or Christmas trees, where Amanita mushrooms typically grow, and gorge themselves on the fungus.
Those who are familiar with the Fly Agaric know that the mushroom contains a very powerful psychoactive substance that can be fatal to humans depending on dosage. The reindeer enjoy the mushroom high which makes them dance and jump around. Interestingly enough, a reindeer’s digestive tract neutralizes the toxins in the mushroom. All that’s left afterwards is a potent cocktail of yellow snow and psychedelic compounds that are safer for humans to consume than eating the mushroom itself.
So why is reindeer urine relevant to Santa Claus?
Before Christianity arrived in Northern Europe, nomadic reindeer-herding tribes had their own varieties of gods, myths, and traditions. During the winter solstice, some shamans would either ingest the spiked reindeer urine or the mushroom itself to embark on a spiritual journey. The celebration honored the god Odin riding through the sky on his chariot. These shamans entered yurts, the traditional housing at the time, through the chimney. Much easier than digging through snow to access the main entrance! The shamans would deliver reindeer urine or Fly Agaric mushrooms to the yurt residents through these chimneys. Others claim that stockings were hung above the fire to dry Amanita mushrooms.
The true origin of Santa Claus
The true origin of Santa Claus is still debatable. Some claim that Coca Cola made him red and white for marketing purposes (which has been proven false). The most reliable historical account of Santa Claus’ physical appearance is in the poem Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas, otherwise known as “’Twas the Night Before Christmas”, written in 1822. Otherwise, Santa Claus’ image, much like most myths and legends, was kept alive through oral tradition. Fables and stories get passed down from generation to generation through conversation and bedtime stories!
Mushrooms have always been a crucial part of human existence; not only for pragmatic uses like as a fire starter or as an antibiotic. The psychoactive compounds in mushrooms have been used for thousands of years throughout human history. It’s more than likely that they contributed to the developments of many myths and legends, much like Santa Claus!
If you want to learn more about Amanita muscaria and identifying other forgeable mushrooms, be sure to check out our comprehensive courses available on the Think Fungi website!