Santa Claus

Descendants of colonizers still residing in these regions likewise continue the practices of their ancestors.[17]. Here is a rough chronology of the "Yarns":. Christians in Africa and Middle East who celebrate Christmas generally ascribe to the gift-giver traditions passed down to them by Europeans in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. The Dwight-related stories fall in between these, with the short stories fleshing out the time between the main stories. People in East Asia, particularly countries that have adopted Western cultures, also celebrate Christmas and the gift-giver traditions passed down to them from the West. While it was the first story written, The Hard Goodbye was not the first story chronologically, with the first section of That Yellow Bastard as the first. Santa Claus in Latin America is generally referred to with different names from country to country. Although there has been much fan speculation on specifics (as well as how many stories Miller will publish in total), few details have been verified thus far.

Throughout Europe and North America, Santa Claus is generally known as such, but in some countries the gift-giver's name, attributes, date of arrival, and even identity varies. The following have been mentioned:. See also: Christmas worldwide. Frank Miller has confirmed that he is working on new Sin City storylines for the upcoming movies. A 250-pound Santa (which seems ludicrously slim) would be pinned to the back of the sleigh by 4,315,015 pounds of force, instantly crushing his bones and organs and reducing him to a quivering blob of pink goo. It reprints all the short stories, in the following order:. Not that it matters, however, since Santa, as a result of accelerating from a dead stop to 650 miles per second in 0.001 seconds, would be subjected to acceleration forces of 17,000 g's. Booze, Broads, & Bullets is a compilation of stories from the Sin City series of comic books by Frank Miller.

The entire reindeer team would be vaporised within 4.26 thousandths of a second, or right about the time Santa reached the fifth house on his trip. We talk about all sorts of things.". In short, they would burst into flames almost instantaneously, exposing the reindeer behind them and creating deafening sonic booms in their wake. A bright day dawns. The lead pair of reindeer would absorb 14.3 quantillion joules of energy per second each. Fading into memory. 600,000 tons travelling at 650 miles per second creates a lot of air resistance - this would heat up the reindeer in the same fashion as a spacecraft re-entering the Earth's atmosphere. Miles behind us now.

This increases the payload, not counting the weight of the sleigh, by another 54,000 tons, or roughly seven times the weight of the Queen Elizabeth (the ship, not the monarch). That rotten town. Even granding that the flying reindeer can pull 10 times that normal amount, the job can't be done with eight or even nine of them - Santa would need 360,000 of them. Those it can't soil, it kills. On land, a conventional reindeer can pull no more than 300 pounds. Those it can't corrupt, it soils. Assuming that each child gets nothing more than a medium sized Lego set (two pounds), the sleigh is carrying over 500 thousand tons, not counting Santa himself. "That rotten town.

The payload of the sleigh adds another interesting element. The final words in the book are internal monologue by Wallace, stating:. For purposes of comparison, the fastest man-made vehicle, the Ulysses space probe, moves at a pokey 27.4 miles per second, and a conventional reindeer can run (at best) 15 miles per hour. He asks her why she wanted to jump and she responds "I was lonely". This means Santa's sleigh is moving at 650 miles per second - 3000 times the speed of sound. Wallace and Esther drive out of town. Assuming that each of these 108 million stops is evenly distributed around the earth (which we know to be false, but will accept for the purposes of our calculations), we're now talking about 0.78 miles per household; a total trip of 75.5 million miles, not counting bathroom stops or breaks. He seeks no revenge on Wallace or Liebowitz.

This is to say that for each Christian household with a good child, Santa has around 1/1000th of a second to park the sleigh, hop out, jump down the chimney, fill the stocking, distribute the remaining presents under the tree, eat whatever snacks have been left for him, get back up the chimney, jump into the sleigh and get onto the next house. Wallenquist lets it all be square. This works out to 967.7 visits per second. Liebowitz shoots The Colonel in the head for hurting his son. Santa has about 31 hours of Christmas to work with, thanks to the different time zones and rotation of the Earth, assuming east to west (which seems logical). By this time, the police have launched a massive assault on the Colonel's factory, where the Colonel is captured. At an average (census) rate of 3.5 children per household, that comes to 108 million homes, presuming there is at least one good child in each. Wallace takes Esther to the hospital as the many police are brought in on stretchers.

However, since Santa does not visit children of the Muslim, Hindu, Jewish or Buddhist (except maybe in Japan) religions, this reduces the workload for Christmas night to 15% of the total (or 378 million according to the population reference bureau). Jerry, a veteran, blasts it out of the sky. There are approximately two billion children (persons under 18) in the world. When Wallace gets her, a police helicopter arrives. While these viewpoints do not represent the majority of Christians, their comments have drawn the attention of critics such as the fictional Landover Baptist Church, whose website satirizes and parodies this viewpoint.[16]. She is at the Farm. Some parents worry that their children might think that if they were deceived by their parents about Santa Claus, parents might also be deceiving them about the existence of God. It's The Colonel, telling Wallace where Esther is.

Some parents are uncomfortable about "lying" to their children about the existence of Santa. At this point in his story, the phone rings in Liebowitz's apartment. One prominent religious group that refuses to celebrate Santa Claus or Christmas for similar reasons are the Jehovah's Witnesses, but several denominations of Christians have varying concerns about Santa Claus.[15] Some Christians would prefer that the focus of the Christmas season be placed on the actual birth of Jesus. Wallace escapes without saving anyone. Paul Nedergaard, a clergyman in Copenhagen, Denmark, drew the ire of Danish citizens in 1958 when he declared Santa to be a "pagan goblin" after Santa's image was used on fundraising materials for a Danish welfare organization [Clar, 337]. Wallace explains how he had a showdown with Mariah and a bunch of mercenaries. 1].[14] Rev. Wallace discovers that the real scheme is an organ harvesting ring of which Liebowitz was unaware.

Following the Restoration of the monarchy and Puritans were out of power in England, the ban on Christmas was satirized in works such as Josiah King's The Examination and Tryal of Old Father Christmas; Together with his Clearing by the Jury (1686) [Nissenbaum, chap. Wallace confronts Liebowitz and tries to get him to join the same side. Following the English Civil War, under Oliver Cromwell's government Christmas was banned. He then threatens Liebowitz's family even further. Such a condemnation of Santa Claus is not a twentieth century phenomenon, but originated among some Protestant groups of the 16th century and was prevalent among the Puritans of 17th century England and America who banned the holiday as either pagan or Roman Catholic. He even has Mariah break Liebowitz's son's arm. As such, a small number of primarily fundamentalist Christian churches dislike the secular focus on Santa Claus and the materialist focus that present-giving gives to the holiday. The Colonel is killing anyone linking Wallace to him.

Despite Santa Claus's mixed Christian roots, he has become a secular representation of Christmas. Mariah, another female mercenary working for the Colonel, is assigned to Delia's task. Both were inspired by the Tales from the Crypt comic book.[13]. They burn Captain's body. All Through the House," part of the Tales from the Crypt (1972) movie and later remade as episode 1.2 and directed by Robert Zemeckis for the HBO series of the same name. He then meets up with another war buddy named Jerry. Other darker impostors have appeared in slasher films such as the Silent Night, Deadly Night series of the 1980s, Santa Claws (1996), and in the short ". As he does, he shoots her in the head and shoots Delia in the chest.

After the mostly well-meaning but clueless Halloween citizens capture Santa, they try to take over Christmas with disastrous results; the real Santa is almost eaten by the Oogie Boogie Man. At gunpoint, Wallace makes Maxine bring him out of his hallucination hell. [12] Tim Burton's stop-action animated musical film The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) depicts Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, wanting to become Santa Claus after an accidental visit to Christmas Town. Gordo kills Captain as Wallace shoots Gordo. Another recent devious mall Santa was played by Billy Bob Thornton in Bad Santa (2003), a film which gained normally family-friendly Disney "bad press". They find them at a gas station, refilling the Hummer they were driving. Gillen's performance lends credence to the theory that the mall Santa is not quite genuine. They torture the one remaining policeman and find out where Delia, Gordo, and Maxine were going.

Played by Jeff Gillen, Santa is depicted as a larger-than-life figure who terrifies, rather than amuses, children. A battle ensues and Captain kills the police. Another less-than-friendly impostor appears in A Christmas Story (1983) as a disgruntled mall Santa at Higbee's Department Store (a real store in downtown Cleveland, Ohio) in the fictional town of Holman, Indiana. The police show up, as does Captain. This animated feature was made into a live-action movie in 2000, directed by Ron Howard and starring Jim Carrey as the Grinch. He discovers a young girl dead in the trunk, intended to frame him. Seuss's children's book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, where the Grinch attempts to rob the Whos in Whoville of their Christmas, but has a change of heart. The car hits a tree.

Arguably the most notorious impostor appears in the 1966 cartoon based on Dr. The whole portion of the comic where he is hallucinating is done in full colour. In this film, a bogus Santa steals all the Christmas presents and amateur detective Octavius (played by Herbert Yost) tries to recover them. Maxine gives him a huge dose of something strange and Wallace goes on a trip. Probably one of the first films featuring a fake Santa Claus is the 1914 silent film The Adventure of the Wrong Santa Claus written by Frederic Arnold Kummer. He wakes at the pits, where Delia, Gordo, and a drug wizard named Maxine are preparing to abandon his car in the pits. Several films have been created which explore the consequences should an impostor Santa take over. Just then, Wallace is drugged by a sniper for the second time.

The system is disrupted when the reigning Santa is murdered by his son, Damian, who then uses the position to attack the competing holidays of Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. Wallace handcuffs her to the bed for what she believes is foreplay, when he reveals that he knows she can not be Esther's roommate since Esther's clothes would have the smell of Delia's cigarettes on them. In The Hebrew Hammer (2003), the role of Santa Claus is traditionally passed down from father to son. He borrows a car from him and Wallace and Delia turn in for the night. She too is reluctant to take on the role. Wallace meets up with a war buddy referred to only as Captain. In Call Me Claus (2001) Lucy Cullins (Whoopi Goldberg) is an African American woman destined to become the next Santa Claus. Wallace and Delia are attacked by snipers and mercenaries, but they escape.

A recent and unique television special also draws upon the succession theme. He finds her apartment occupied by Delia, who claims to be Esther's roommate. Clause"). Wallace spends the night in the drunk tank, and upon his release seeks out Esther. This film spawned a sequel in 2002, The Santa Clause 2 in which he must find a wife (the "Mrs. Apparently, The Colonel and Liebowitz are a part of this conspiracy. Reluctant at first, he falls in love with his newfound role. They are ambushed by two men, who drug Wallace and kidnap Esther.

After he puts on Santa's robes, he becomes subject to the "Santa clause" (like a contract) in which he is required to become the next Santa. She likes his art and they go out for a drink. In The Santa Clause (1994), Tim Allen plays Scott Calvin who accidentally causes Santa Claus to fall off the roof of his house. It tells the story of Wallace, an artist/war hero/short order cook who saves a suicidal woman named Esther. In Ernest Saves Christmas (1988), Ernest (Jim Varney) aids Santa Claus/Seth Applegate (Douglas Seale) convince Joe Curruthers (Oliver Clark) to become the next Santa. Hell and Back is the longest of the Sin City stories, spanning 9 issues. It is also suggestive of Santa's miraculous ability to live for many years, but not indefinitely. Hell and Back (a Sin City Love Story) was first published in (July 1999–April 2000).

There is an elaborate sequence depicting the death of the previous office-holder (extremely advanced in age), and the selection of the new Santa Claus, which visually evokes the Papacy and also the divine/supernatural nature of the office/selection process. Dwight is later reintroduced to the car that he was seen driving in Hell and Back. The film's prologue features a generous old man who assumes Santa-like duties in his home village, and strongly suggests Santa's saintly origins. They confront him at his home in Sacred Oaks where he is brutally tortured and killed. The feature film Santa Claus: The Movie (1985) starring David Huddleston as Santa Claus and British actress Judy Cornwell as his wife Anya shows how Santa and his wife are adopted by elves (including elves played by Dudley Moore and Burgess Meredith) in order to deliver their toys all over the world. Miho, Dwight, and Daisy, Carmen's lover, realize that Don Giacco Magliozzi was behind the shooting. One genre of movies suggest that Santa Claus is not historically a single individual but a succession of individuals. It is finally revealed that Vito, a member of the Mafia, had accidentally killed Carmen, an Old Town hooker, and Old Town wants revenge.

The latest film to depict Santa Claus in such a manner is The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), in which Father Christmas (James Cosmo) supplies the Pevensie children with the weapons and tools they need to battle the White Witch (Tilda Swinton). Watching out for him at every turn, the ninja Miho carves a relentless path of severed limbs on her trusty roller blades. (John Lithgow).[11] He is a hero in Tim Burton's Nightmare before Christmas held captive to Oogie Boogie. After getting the inside dirt from an aging starlet, he follows a lead through Basin City's underworld that ultimately brings him into the upper tiers of the mob and city hall. Z. After one of the Old Town hookers is killed in the cross fire of a botched Mafia drive-by, Dwight starts asking questions at a run-down diner. Santa Claus: The Movie also contains a subplot in which Santa Claus rescues Joe (Christian Fitzpatrick) from his best friend Cornelia's (Carrie Kei Heim]) evil uncle B. Ladies' man Dwight and the silent killer Miho, stars of A Dame to Kill For and The Big Fat Kill, return for a gritty story of revenge and corruption.

The Night They Saved Christmas (1984) starring Art Carney as Santa likewise chronicles how Santa Claus and Claudia Baldwin (Jaclyn Smith), the wife of an oil explorer, have to save the North Pole from explosions while her husband is searching for oil in the Arctic. Unlike the previous four stories, Family Values was released as a 128-page graphic novel rather than in serialized issues that would later be collected in a trade paperback volume. In the Cold War-era film Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964) where Santa Claus is captured by Martians and brought to Mars and ultimately foils a plot to destroy him. Family Values is the fifth "yarn" in Frank Miller's series of Sin City comic books published by Dark Horse Comics. In this movie Santa allies with Merlin the magician to battle the Devil who is attempting to trap Santa. Family Values was first published in (October 1997). Some less-than-serious films feature Santa Claus as a superhero-type figure, such as the 1959 film titled Santa Claus produced in Mexico with José Elías Moreno as Santa Claus. Marv kills the last one, but cannot seem to remember where he got his coat or gloves.

The Polar Express (2004), based on the children's book of the same name, also deals with issues and questions of belief as a magical train conducted by Tom Hanks transports a doubting boy to the North Pole to visit Santa Claus.[10]. He chases them to The Projects, where the overprotective tenants kill several of the kids. The newspaper editor tells her that indeed there is a Santa: "He lives, and he lives forever." Francis Pharcellus Church was the real-life editor and is played by Charles Bronson in the film. He gets drunk and steps outside to find some college kids burning drunks to death. The television special Yes Virginia There Is A Santa Claus (1991) follows the true story of a young girl, Virginia O'Hanlon, who writes a letter to the editor of the New York Sun in 1897 after her friends tell her there is no Santa. He gets depressed seeing Nancy leave with Hartigan, seeing as how he always had a crush on Nancy. This film was remade in 1994 and stars Richard Attenborough as Kris Kringle and Mara Wilson as Susan Walker. He lights one of the dead guys' cigarettes and thinks back; since it is Saturday, he realizes he must have been watching Nancy at Kadie's...

Miracle on 34th Street (1947) starring Natalie Wood as Susan Walker revolves around the disbelief of young Susan whose mother (Maureen O'Hara) employs a kind old man (Edmund Gwenn, who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor) to play Santa Claus at Macy's; he later convinces Susan that he really is Santa. Marv regains consciousness in the projects, surrounded by dead young guys, unable to remember how he got there. She doubts because Santa has never visited her family because of their poverty. It is the story of what Marv was up to on the night Hartigan met back up with Nancy (from That Yellow Bastard). One of the first films of this nature was titled A Little Girl Who Did Not Believe in Santa Claus (1907) and involves a well-to-do boy trying to convince his poorer friend that Santa Claus is real. It was later reprinted in a mass-market edition as Just Another Saturday Night (October 1998). Another genre of Santa films seek to dispel doubts about his existence. Just Another Saturday Night was first published in Sin City #1/2 (August 1997), a limited mail-in comic available only through a special offer in Wizard (magazine) #73.

Interestingly enough, none of these films focus on Santa Claus's saintly origins. Her response is "Only the ones I really like.". Frank Baum 's 1902 children's book of the same name, in which Santa is reared by mythical, magical creatures and is granted immortality by them. "Delia-- do you plan to make love to each and every one of them?" he asks. Two stop motion animation television specials addressed this issue: Santa Claus is Comin' to Town (1970) by Rankin/Bass with Mickey Rooney as the voice of Kris reveals how Santa delivered toys to children despite the fact that Burgermeister Meisterburger had forbidden children to play with them and The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus (1985), based on L. Leaving the rear of the train, the Colonel waits for her. They explain how reindeer fly, where elves come from, and other questions children have generally asked about Santa. When they're done, she snaps his neck and throws him off the train.

Some films about Santa Claus seek to explore his origins. Delia hits on him, and they make love near the back of the train. Later films about Santa vary, but can be divided into the following themes. His internal monologue explains that he had a flat tire. A year later another movie titled Santa Claus was produced with sound on De Forest Phonofilm.[9] Over the years various actors have donned the red suit (aside from those discussed below), including Monty Woolley in Life Begins at Eight-thirty (1942), Alberto Rabagliati in The Christmas That Almost Wasn't (1966), Dan Aykroyd in Trading Places (1983), Jan Rubes in One Magic Christmas (1985), David Huddleston in Santa Claus: The Movie (1985), Jonathan Taylor Thomas in I'll Be Home for Christmas (1998), and Ed Asner in Elf (2003). Eddie is riding the train. Kleinschmidt filmed partly in northern Alaska and features Santa in his workshop, visiting his Eskimo neighbors, and tending his reindeer. Wrong Track is the second story, which picks up soon after.

A twenty-nine minute 1925 silent film production entitled Santa Claus by explorer/documentarian Frank E. Delia explains that she has a train to catch. Griffith titled A Trap for Santa Claus shows children setting a trap to capture Santa Claus as he descends down the chimney, but instead capture their father who abandoned them and their mother but tries to burglarize the house after he discovers she inherited a fortune. They throw him in as well and Gordo pushes the car into the pits. W. They check the trunk of Phil's car and find his wife with six bullets in her belly. A 1909 film by D. She meets up with the Colonel and Gordo at the entrance to the pits.

The scene closes with the children waking up and running to the fireplace just too late to catch him by the legs. She sticks the heel of her shoe in his eye socket, killing him. He distributes the presents and mysteriously causes the appearance of a Christmas tree laden with gifts. Eddie was supposed to be driving a similar Studebaker, and looked very similar. He goes down the chimney and suddenly appears in the children's room through the fireplace. He explains that he is a used car salesman named Phil, and she understands. Santa Claus suddenly appears on the roof, just outside the children's bedroom window, and proceeds to enter the chimney, taking with him his bag of presents and a little hand sled for one of the children. She claims he has a trunk-load of stolen jewels he plans to sell in Sacred Oaks, violating an exclusivity agreement with the Wallenquist Organization.

The mother tucks the children snugly in bed and leaves the room. She starts choking him and calls him by the name of Eddie. Santa Claus' Visit in 1900 featured a scene with two little children kneeling at the feet of their mother and saying their prayers. In the middle of it, he confesses that he is, in fact, married. After walking backward and surveying his work, he suddenly darts at the fireplace and disappears up the chimney. She takes him to the pits, and they make love. He then fills the stockings that were previously hung on the mantle by the children. She asks if he is married, and he says that he is not.

In this picture Santa Claus enters the room from the fireplace and proceeds to trim the tree. He offers to take her to the hospital, but she refuses. A year later, a film directed by George Albert Smith in 1899 titled Santa Claus (or The Visit from Santa Claus in the United Kingdom) was created. He picks her up, and she tells him that she must have got struck by lightning. Another film called Santa Claus and the Children was made in 1898. He drives aimlessly in the rain, eventually finding Delia unconscious on a dirt road. In 1897, in a short film called Santa Claus Filling Stockings, Santa Claus is simply filling stockings from his pack of toys. Wrong Turn is the first story, in which a man named Phil has just killed his wife.

Early films of Santa revolve around similar simple plots of Santa's Christmas eve visit to children. The two stories take place on the same night, with the second taking place minutes after the first. Nick abound and apparently constitute their own sub-genre of the Christmas film genre. Sex & Violence was first published in March 1997 and only contains two stories, both of which feature Delia:. Motion pictures of St. The sadistic war criminal stuffs rats in his oven to eat, and is killed by a mercenary in the exact same way. Probably the only other place where Santa Claus makes as many appearances as in the malls is on the big screen. [1].

Most young children seem to already understand this, as the "real" Santa would be extremely busy around Christmas time. It was adapted to a 2004 fan film of the same name. If and when a shop or party Santa is discovered to be an imposter by an observant youngster, a common way out is to simply admit that he is not the real Santa, but helping him at this time of year. Rats is the final story, it is about a disturbed war criminal who eats dog food. Essayist David Sedaris is known for the satirical diary he kept while working as an elf in the Macy's display, which he later published. He gives her an assignment and she takes on the name Blue Eyes, which is what Jim used to call her. In America the most notable of these is the Santa at the flagship Macy's store in New York City - he arrives at the store by sleigh in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on the last float, and his court takes over a large portion of one floor in the store. After killing Jim, the Colonel appears who was none other than the hitman.

The area set up for this purpose is festively decorated, usually with a large throne, and is called variously "Santa's Grotto", "Santa's Workshop" or a similar term. She wants to become a hitwoman, and she must first kill the only man she ever loved. His function is either to promote the store's image by distributing small gifts to children, or to provide a seasonal experience to children by having them sit on his knee (a practice now under review by some organisations in Britain [7], and Switzerland [8]), state what they wish to get, and often have a photograph taken. She then attacks him, and explains that this is her test. He is played by an actor, usually helped by other actors (often mall employees or contractors) dressed as elves or other creatures of folklore. They go back to his place and make love. Santa Claus is also a costumed character who appears at Christmas time in department stores or shopping malls, or at parties. Marv steals his drink.

More popular, well-known songs about Santa Claus (mostly sung by children) include:. The hitman enters the bar and Jim convinces Delia to leave with him. As early as 1853, Louis Antoine Jullien composed an orchestral piece titled Santa Claus which premiered to mixed reviews in New York that year [Horowitz, 213]. Marv is sitting next to them at the bar, and provides some comic relief. Over the years, Santa Claus has inspired several songs and even orchestral works. He runs into Kadie’s, where he is confronted by an ex-flame named Delia. Many of these websites also include e-mail addresses, a modern version of the postal service letter writing, in which children can send Santa Claus e-mail. It begins as a man named Jim notices a hitman following him.

Many other websites are available year-round that are devoted to Santa Claus and keeping tabs on his activities in his workshop. Blue Eyes, the second story, is the first appearance of Delia. Many local television stations in the United States and Canada likewise track Santa Claus in their own metropolitan areas through the stations' meteorologists. This was apparently a test, and the two buffoons get thrown several yards away as the explosion hits. This tracking can now be done by children via the Internet and NORAD's website. Shlubb disagrees and pulls the boots off, to discover that there are no feet in them, and a ticking sound rings through their ears. In 1958, Canada and the United States jointly created the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) and together tracked Santa Claus for children of North America that year and ever since.[6]. Klump tells him that they're supposed to leave the body as it is.

Harry Shoup, received the first call for Santa and responded by telling children that there were signs on the radar that Santa was indeed heading south from North Pole. In this yarn, Shlubb's boots are in horrible shape, and he wishes to steal the shoes off a corpse, wrapped in a rug, that they're supposed to dump in the river. The Director of Operations, Col. However their wordy speeches are sprinkled with malapropisms. The number was mistyped and children called the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) on Christmas Eve instead. Fat Man and Little Boy is a short three-page story about Douglas Klump and Burt Shlubb, who also appear in "That Yellow Bastard" and "Family Values." These characters use a large vocabulary to make it appear that they are more intelligent than they truthfully are. In 1955, a Sears Roebuck store in Colorado Springs, Colorado, gave children a number to call a "Santa hotline". First published December 1996, Lost, Lonely, & Lethal contains three stories:.

Some people have created websites designed to allow children and other interested parties to "track" Santa Claus on Christmas Eve via radar; while in transit, Santa Claus is sometimes escorted by Air Force fighter jets [5]. The story closes with Daddy closing his hands around Johnny's throat. His address is this: Santa Claus, Santa Claus Village, FIN-96930 Arctic Circle, Finland. Daddy beats Johnny half to death and it becomes apparent that he is not only her father but also her lover and that the entire ruse was a sadistic form of sexual role-playing. The Finnish Santa Claus lives in Korvatunturi but Santa's Official Post Office is situated in Rovaniemi at the Arctic circle. Temporarily overcome with remorse, Johnny realizes that it was all fake and the bullets he shot were blanks. Children from Great Britain, Poland and Japan are the busiest writers. Daddy refuses and Johnny shoots him with a revolver.

He gets over 600,000 letters every year from over 150 countries. Torn by his emotions and manipulated by Amy, he attempts to confront her father first, asking for her hand in marriage. Through the years Santa Claus of Finland has received over eight million letters. Amy insists that they can't be together and alludes to the solution that he kill her father. In Britain it is tradition to burn the Christmas letters on the fire so that they would be magically transported by the wind to the North Pole however this tradition is dying out in modern times with few people having true open fires in their homes. Johnny is a middle-aged man who seems to be in love with a much younger girl by the name of Amy. (This postal code, in which zeroes are used for the letter "O" is consistent with the alternating letter-number format of all Canadian postal codes.) Sometimes children's charities answer letters in poorer communities or from children's hospitals in order to give them presents that they would not otherwise receive. Daddy's Little Girl was first published in A Decade of Dark Horse #1 (July 1996) and reprinted in Tales to Offend #1 (July 1997), and Booze, Broads, and Bullets..

His address is: Santa Claus, North Pole, Canada, H0H 0H0 [4] (see also: Ho ho ho). Nancy -- who prior to this story had no last name -- was named "Callahan," presumably after Clint Eastwood's character in those films. Canada Post has a special postal code for letters to Santa Claus, and since 1982 over 13,000 Canadian postal workers have volunteered to write responses. In the DVD commentary, Frank Miller indicated that he was initially motivated to write That Yellow Bastard after his disappointment with The Dead Pool, the fifth and final film in the Dirty Harry series. Many postal services allow children to send letters to Santa Claus pleading their good behavior and requesting gifts; these letters may be answered by postal workers or other volunteers. Mort had been replaced by Bob when Hartigan is released from prison in the motion picture and the theatrical release omits an appearance by Carla Gugino as Lucille which is reinstated in the extended version released to DVD. Girls also request gifts for other people on a more frequent basis [Otnes, Kim, and Kim, 20-21]. Some notable differences exist in the film version.

Girls generally write more polite, longer (although they do not request more), and express more expressions of the nature of Christmas in their letters than in letters written by boys. In Rodriguez's adaptation, Bruce Willis stars as Hartigan, Jessica Alba as Nancy, Nick Stahl as the Yellow Bastard/Junior, Powers Boothe as Senator Roark and Michael Madsen as Hartigan's partner, Bob. Interestingly, some social scientists have found that boys and girls write different types of letters. In order to spare Nancy this fate, in an act of pure love, Hartigan commits suicide to protect her, blowing his brains out with his revolver. These letters normally contain a wishlist of toys and assertions of good behavior. Hartigan also realizes that Senator Roark would most likely target Nancy first, in order to make Hartigan suffer for killing his son. Writing letters to Santa Claus has been a Christmas tradition for children for many years. he has made a deadly enemy of Senator Roark, who would stop at nothing until Hartigan was dead.

Naughty children were once told that they would be left a roe (a bundle of sticks) instead of sweets, but this practice has been discontinued. With Nancy gone, Hartigan realizes that by killing Roark Jr. The next morning they will find the hay and carrot replaced by a gift; often, this is a marzipan figurine. Hartigan then tells Nancy to flee, lying to her that he will call up some old police friends of his to clean up the scene of the crime. Children following the Dutch custom for sinterklaas will "put out their shoe" — that is, leave hay and a carrot for his horse in a shoe before going to bed — sometimes weeks before the sinterklaas avond. Nancy and Hartigan share another kiss, this time without Hartigan's paternalistic feelings getting in the way. British, Australian and American children also leave out a carrot for Santa's reindeer, and were traditionally told that if they are not good all year round, that they will receive a lump of coal in their stockings, although this practice is now considered archaic. Hartigan suddenly pulls out a switchblade and stabs him in the chest, calls him a "sucker" and then proceeds to castrate Junior a second time with his bare hands and then brutally beat his head into pulp, killing him.

In the United States and Canada, the tradition is to leave Santa a glass of milk and cookies; in Britain and Australia, he is sometimes given sherry and mince pies instead. Junior shoves Nancy aside and decides to slice Hartigan up while he's on the floor. Several rituals have developed around the Santa Claus figure that are normally performed by children hoping to receive gifts from him. Hartigan has a heart attack and drops his gun. Reindeer are also associated with the shaman, and like Santa Claus, many people believed that the shaman could fly.[3]. Hartigan shows up, takes down a few corrupt police officers guarding the Farm and confronts Junior, who has Nancy at knife point. Furthermore, the mushrooms were associated with reindeer who were known to eat them and become intoxicated. At this time, Nancy is being flogged by Junior and, like Hartigan, won't give her torturer the pleasure of her pain by screaming.

The mushrooms were often hung (to dry) in front of the fireplace, much like the stockings of modern-day Christmas. Racing to the Farm, Hartigan suffers a severe angina attack, but continues in order to save Nancy. This type of mushroom is brightly colored red and white, like Santa Claus, though the relevance of this is questionable. Junior's henchmen, who had shown up to dispose of Hartigan's body, are quickly subdued, and forced to tell Hartigan that Junior had fled to the Roark family farm (described as a place where bad things happen) with Nancy, presumably to rape her. Apparently, during the midwinter festival (holiday season) in Siberia (near the North Pole), the shaman would enter a yurt (home) through the shangrak (chimney), bringing with him a sack of fly agaric mushrooms (presents) to give to the inhabitants. Hartigan, after seemingly giving up, awakes in his noose, wills himself back to life, and manages to break free from the rope by breaking a window and using a shattered glass shard to cut the rope around his hands. American mycologist Jonathan Ott suggests that many of the modern features attributed to Santa Claus may somehow be derived from those of the Kamchatkan or Siberian shaman. He then kicks the desk under Hartigan and escapes with Nancy.

Other additions to early ideas of Santa include Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the ninth and lead reindeer immortalized in a Gene Autry song, written by a Montgomery Ward copywriter. Junior knocks Hartigan down, lynches him naked with a noose and tells of how in the past 8 years he raped and killed dozens of girls. Santa Claus continues to inspire writers and artists, such as in author Seabury Quinn's 1948 novel Roads. As a result, Junior lives, but as an unnatural abomination. Many television commercials depict this as a sort of humorous business, with Santa's elves acting as a sometimes mischievously disgruntled workforce, cracking jokes and pulling pranks on their boss. Senator Roark used his vast financial resources to resurrect his son using means outside the boundaries of conventional science, hiring doctors, witch doctors, and gene therapists to bring Junior out of his coma and reconstitute his severed body parts. 2; Belk, 87-100]. Hartigan, in the shower, is confronted once again by "That Yellow Bastard", who reveals himself to be Roark Jr.

Claus as managers [see Nissenbaum, chap. There, they share a kiss, where Nancy reveals she is in love with him; but Hartigan refuses to move any further because of the paternalistic nature of his relationship to Nancy. That shift was reflected in the modern depiction of Santa's residence—now often humorously portrayed as a fully mechanized production facility, equipped with the latest manufacturing technology, and overseen by the elves with Santa and Mrs. Eventually, he and Nancy hide out in a motel. By the end of the century, the reality of mass mechanized production became more fully accepted by the Western public. Accompanied by Nancy, Hartigan disovers the "Bastard's" foul-smelling blood everywhere, but no body. Eventually, the idea emerged that he had numerous elves responsible for making the toys, but the toys were still handmade by each individual elf working in the traditional manner. Hartigan, with Nancy's revolver, fires a precise shot that hits the "Bastard" in the neck, and Hartigan insists on checking to see if he's been killed.

In some images of the early 20th century, Santa was depicted as personally making his toys by hand in a small workshop like a craftsman. With Nancy at the wheel, there is a high-speed pursuit with the "Bastard" close on their tail. Some suspect that the depiction of Santa at the North Pole reflected popular opinion about industry at the time. They leave Kadies' shortly and get into her car.
. Hartigan and Nancy have a quick reunion when she recognizes him and jumps into his arms. Volunteers dressed as Santa Claus typically became part of fundraising drives to aid needy families at Christmas time. "That Yellow Bastard", the man who arrived at the cell with the envelope, has followed him, and he has revealed Nancy's position.

The image of Santa Claus as a benevolent character became reinforced with its association with charity and philanthropy, particularly organizations such as the Salvation Army. Hartigan smells a set-up, and something far worse, the distinct odor of rotting garbage. [2]. The envelope containing the finger was merely a ploy to get him to crack and lead Roark to Nancy. Nevertheless, Santa Claus and Coca-Cola have been closely associated. Hartigan finds that she is no longer the little girl he rescued from a child-murderer 8 years ago, but is now a woman who works in the club as an exotic dancer and is unharmed. The popularity of the image spawned urban legends that Santa Claus was in fact invented by Coca-Cola. He follows that lead to where Nancy, now nineteen, can be at or at least maybe get more leads.

Images of Santa Claus were further cemented through Haddon Sundblom's depiction of him for The Coca-Cola Company's Christmas advertising. There's no clues to where she is except for a pack of matches from Kadie's bar. Frank Baum, author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. He goes to her apartment, but finds it empty and in disarray. Another popularization came in 1902 in The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. He looks her name up in a phone book and learns she lives somewhere on North Culver. In 1863, a picture of Santa illustrated by Nast appeared in Harper's Weekly (it is believed the inspiration for his image came from the Pelznickle). Back on the streets, the elderly ex-con/ex-cop sets off to find Nancy.

Still, one of the first artists to capture Santa Claus' image as we know him today was Thomas Nast, an American cartoonist of the 19th century. Hartigan is finally released on parole, apparently due to Senator Roark's satisfaction over his confession and submission. Santa Claus later appeared in various colored costumes as he gradually became amalgamated with the figure of Father Christmas, but red soon became popular after he appeared wearing such on an 1885 Christmas card. Hartigan knows it's a ruse to insult him, but to show sincerity that he's a reformed man, he asks Senator Roark for forgiveness for what he did to his son. In this poem Santa is established as a heavyset individual with eight reindeer (who are named for the first time). At his parole hearing, he is humiliated again when Senator Roark acts like a good man who's willing to forgive Hartigan. The poem is ascribed to Clement Clarke Moore, although there is some question as to his authorship. Much to his own lawyer's surprise and disgust, Hartigan decides to claim responsibility to the crimes he was accused of.

Nicholas" (better known today as "The Night Before Christmas") in the Troy, New York, Sentinel on December 23, 1823. He decides to find some way out, and contacts his lawyer, Lucille (the lesbian parole officer from The Hard Goodbye). Modern ideas of Santa Claus seemingly became canon after the publication of the poem "A Visit From St. Believing Nancy to be in imminent danger, Hartigan's passive view of his current incarceration changes. Irving's book was a lampoon of the Dutch culture of New York, and much of this portrait is his joking invention. Except instead of a letter from her inside, it contains an index finger from the right hand of a nineteen-year-old girl. For example, in Washington Irving's History of New York, Sinterklaas was Americanized into "Santa Claus" but lost his bishop's apparel, and was at first pictured as a thick-bellied Dutch sailor with a pipe in a green winter coat. Hartigan awakens and discovers the same type of envelope Nancy always uses.

In the British colonies of North America and later the United States, British and Dutch versions of the gift-giver merged further. His fears are confirmed when a deformed, hairless visitor with sickly yellow skin who smells distinctly like a garbage can, arrives at his prison cell and punches him out. The same thing happened in Finland, but there the more human figure retained the Yule Goat name. Although he initially believes Nancy has merely outgrown her childhood hero, Hartigan soon becomes increasingly worried that Senator Roark has finally found Nancy. By the end of the 19th century this tradition had also spread to Norway and Sweden (where the "nisse" is called Tomte), replacing the Yule Goat. For eight years, he drags himself through his jail time, his only respite being the letters his young admirer sends him, until finally the letters stop coming. In the 1840's, the farm gnome in Nordic folklore started to deliver the Christmas presents in Denmark, but was then called the "Julenisse", dressed in gray clothes and a red hat. Hartigan quickly develops a paternal love for little Nancy, and sees her as the daughter he never had.

A straw goat is still a common Christmas decoration in Sweden, Norway and Finland. Afterwards, he finds himself alone in prison, and abandoned by his wife Eileen (who proceeds to re-marry and finally have children) and friends, he finds solace in the carefully disguised weekly letters he receives from Nancy. As an example of the still surviving pagan imagery, in Nordic countries there was the Yule Goat (Swedish julbock, Norwegian "julebukk", Finnish joulupukki), a somewhat startling figure with horns which delivered the presents on Christmas Eve. Even amidst the hours of repeated punching and being tempted by prison luxuries and even sex with an Old Town prostitute, Hartigan doesn't crack under the pressure. In other countries, the figure of Saint Nicholas was also blended with local folklore. Liebowitz in order to get him to sign a false confession. Since the giving of presents is Sinterklaas's job presents are traditionally not given at Christmas in the Netherlands, but commercialism is starting to tap into this market. After his stint in the hospital, Hartigan is seen tied to a chair, cuffed and being beaten by Det.

The more serious gifts may be reserved for the next morning. Before leaving, Nancy tells Hartigan she loves him. The gifts themselves may be just an excuse for the wrapping, which can also be quite elaborate. Hartigan complies and says goodbye to her. Presents given during this feast are often accompanied by poems, sometimes fairly basic, sometimes quite elaborate pieces of art that mock events in the past year relating to the recipient (who is thus at the receiving end in more than one sense). She'll sign her name as "Cordelia" so no one who know who it's really from by Hartigan. Sinterklaas arrives from Spain on a steamboat and is accompanied by 'Zwarte Piet'. Hartigan tells her to stay away from him or else she'll be killed, so Nancy tells Hartigan she'll write him letters instead for forever.

He rides a white horse over rooftops and his helpers climb down chimneys to deposit gifts (sometimes in children's shoes by the fireplace). The only one who Hartigan talked in the hospital was Nancy, who snuck out against her parents' wishes to see the man who saved her. The connection with the original bishop of Myra is still evident here. Despite his innocence and the pariah status he has achieved as a result of his conviction, he remains silent about his pain, knowing that Senator Roark would kill anyone who ever found out the truth. He wears a red miter (a liturgical headdress worn by bishops and abbots) with a 'golden' cross and carries a bishop's staff. Hartigan finds himself framed for raping Nancy, is branded a pedophile and sentenced to a lengthy prison term amidst a public outcry that brands him one of Sin City's most hated citizens. Sinterklaas wears clothing similar to a bishop's. lapses into a coma from his injuries, and Senator Roark takes issue with the abuse of his son.

Nick. Roark Jr. He is also known there by the name of Sint Nicolaas which explains the use of the two fairly dissimilar names Santa Claus and Saint Nicholas or St. Before he can finish Junior off, Hartigan's corrupt partner Bob, who fears angering Senator Roark, shoots him in the back. Nicholas. Hartigan succeeds in rescuing Nancy by disabling Junior's getaway car, and then proceeds to use his revolver to surgically shoot off Junior's left ear, right hand, and genitals. The name Santa Claus is derived from Sinterklaas, the Dutch name for the mythical character based on St. It is Hartigan's mission to rescue Junior's latest quarry, skinny little Nancy Callahan.

He typified the spirit of good cheer at Christmas, and was reflected in the "Ghost of Christmas Present" in Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. Roark Junior, son of one of the most powerful and corrupt officials in Basin City, is continuing his penchant for raping and murdering little girls. Father Christmas dates back at least as far as the 17th century in Britain, and pictures of him survive from that era, portraying him as a well-nourished bearded man dressed in a long, green, fur-lined robe. The story begins with a good-hearted cop, Hartigan (who has a bad heart condition) on his final mission before his forced retirement. Pre-modern representations of the gift-giver from church history and folklore merged with the British character Father Christmas to create the character known to Britons and Americans as Santa Claus. That Yellow Bastard is currently under publication by Dark Horse Comics, the first edition was available in July 1997 (ISBN 1569712255). The name originated from the fact that the person appeared to be a huge beast since he was covered from head to toe in furs. It follows the usual black and white noir style artistry of previous Sin City novels.

Another form of the above tale in Germany is of the Pelznickel or Belsnickle ("Furry Nicholas") who visited naughty children in their sleep. First published in February 1996–July 1996, That Yellow Bastard is a six-issue comic book miniseries, and the sixth in the Sin City series. Some tales depict Zwarte Piet beating bad children with a rod or even taking them to Spain (formerly ruled by the Moors) in a sack.
. In an alternate Dutch version, the saint is aided by Moorish slaves, commonly typified as Zwarte Piet ("Black Peter"). It was later revealed in the two disc special edition DVD that Becky died at the end of the film. Yet other versions have the demon reform under the saint's orders, and go on to recruit other elves and imps into helping him, thus becoming Santa Claus. A notable difference from the comic version is that Becky survives the final gunfight by hiding in a nook in the alley, leaving her alive for the final "epilogue" scene of the movie.

Depending on the version, the saint either made the demon fulfil this task every year, or the demon was so disgusted by the act of good will that it chose to be sent back to Hell. In the film, Clive Owen plays Dwight, Brittany Murphy plays Shellie, Benicio del Toro plays Jack, Rosario Dawson plays Gail, Devon Aoki plays Miho, Alexis Bledel plays Becky, and Michael Clarke Duncan plays Manute. The saint ordered him to go to each house and make amends, by delivering gifts to the children. The story is one of three from Sin City related in the film Sin City. Peter or Paul of Tarsus); the demon was trapped and forced to obey the saint's orders. Before any defensive measures can be taken, the men and Becky are gunned down. The holy man sought out the demon, and tricked it with blessed or magical shackles (in some versions the same shackles that imprisoned Christ prior to the crucifixion, in other versions the shackles were those used to hold St. The gangsters now realize they are in a trap as the girls of Old Town reveal themselves, heavily armed also, on the roof.

The story states that the land was terrorized by a monster who at night would slither down the chimneys and slaughter children (disembowelling them or stuffing them up the flue, or keeping them in a sack to eat later). Dwight then triggers the grenades stolen from the last mercenary, exploding the head. Another early folk tale, originating among the Germanic tribes, tells of a holy man (sometimes Saint Nicholas), and a demon (sometimes the Devil, Krampus, or a troll). Becky questions why the head is now bandaged when it wasn't before. (Other features, like the absence of one eye, are not found in Saint Nicholas.) This practice in turn came to America via the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam prior to the British seizure in the 17th century, and evolved into the hanging of socks or stockings at the fireplace. As Dwight stands alone in an alley outside the gangsters' building with the head, outnumbered and outgunned, the trade is made: Gail being freed and the head, now bandaged up, handed over. Odin's appearance was often similar to that of Saint Nicholas, being depicted as an old, mysterious man with a beard. As the gangsters prepare to further torture Gail, and kill Becky, an arrow shoots through one of the henchmen with a note prompting a trade: Jack's head for Gail's life.

Children still place their straw filled shoes at the chimney every winter night, and Saint Nicholas (who, unlike Santa, is still riding a horse) rewards them with candy and gifts. With the head in tow they go off to rescue Gail and Old Town. This practice survived in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands after the adoption of Christianity and became associated with Saint Nicholas. Dwight is caught off guard by more grenades and is about to be cut up until Miho arrives to finish Brian off. 171-173]. After dodging some grenades, Dwight corners Brian, the last mercenary, in the sewers. 9, esp. Dallas rams the car into the mercenaries' and she ends up getting gunned down by one of them.

Odin would then reward those children for their kindness by replacing Sleipnir's food with gifts or candy [Siefker, chap. They cut through backroads to reach the Projects, where they catch up with their targets. Children would place their boots, filled with carrots, straw or sugar, near the chimney for Odin's flying horse, Sleipnir, to eat. Dwight, Dallas and Miho realize they must recover Jack's head. Prior to the Germanic peoples' conversion to Christianity, Germanic folklore contained stories about the god Odin (Wodan), who would each year, at Yule, have a great hunting party accompanied by his fellow gods and the fallen warriors residing in his realm. Gail bites and rips a chunk off of Becky's neck in anger, vowing that she deserves worse. Also, a few villages in West Flanders, Belgium, celebrate a near identical figure, Sint-Maarten (Saint Martin of Tours).[1]. It becomes clear that Becky had sold out Old Town for money and her mother's safety.

In Greece, Saint Nicholas is sometimes substituted for Saint Basil (Vasilis in Greek), a 4th century AD bishop from Caesarea. Gail is tortured but refuses to "facilitate" the process of surrendering Old Town. Saint Nicholas became revered by many as the patron saint of seamen, merchants, archers, children, prostitutes, pharmacists, lawyers, pawnbrokers, prisoners, the city of Amsterdam and of Russia. Back at Old Town, Gail has been ambushed and kidnapped by Manute, who has survived the assaults of Dwight and Miho. Nicholas were transported to Bari in southern Italy by some enterprising Italian merchants; a basilica was constructed in 1087 to house them and the area became a pilgrimage site for the devout. Along with Miho and her driver, Dallas, he takes off in pursuit of the remaining mercenaries. The relics of St. Miho rescues him and Dwight begins to figure out that there is a snitch in Old Town who informed the mob that a cop was murdered by the Old Town prostitutes.

In Europe (more precisely the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and Germany) he is still portrayed as a bearded bishop in canonical robes. The mercenaries decapitate Jack, taking the head and leaving Dwight for dead, sinking into the pits. He was very religious from an early age and devoted his life entirely to Christianity. He quickly disposes of four of them, but is knocked out by a grenade and falls into the pit along with the car. He was born at Patara, province of Lycia, Asia Minor. At the Pits Dwight is attacked by Irish mercenaries. Nicholas was famous for his generous gifts to the poor, in particular presenting the three impoverished daughters of a pious Christian with dowries so that they would not have to become prostitutes. The cop then notifies Dwight that he's driving with a broken taillight, and lets him off with a warning.

The first of these is Saint Nicholas of Myra, a 4th century AD Christian bishop of Myra in Lycia, a province of Byzantine Anatolia, now in Turkey. Dwight tells the cop he's the designated driver. The modern Santa Claus is thought to be a composite character made up from the merging of quite separate figures. The cop looks through Dwight's window and notices the corpse, believing it to be an unconscious, drunken friend. Since most activities associated with Santa Claus are extraordinary, such as delivering presents to all of the believing children in one night, keeping track of where every believing child lives, how he squeezes down chimneys, how he enters homes without chimneys, how he delivers presents without tripping motion detectors if the Christmas tree is not in the same room as the fireplace, why he never dies, how he makes reindeer fly, and how he survives in the cold at the North Pole, "magic" is usually used to explain his actions.
. Jack's body slumps forward, hiding the neck wound and the gun casing lodged in his head. Sometimes Santa's home is in Caesarea when he is identified as Saint Basil. As he contemplates whether or not to kill the cop, he brakes hard.

His home is usually given as either the North Pole, in northern Canada, Korvatunturi in Finnish Lapland, Dalecarlia in Sweden, or Greenland, depending on the tradition and country. With his mind not completely focused, his driving suffers, attracting police attention again. Some modern depictions of Santa (often in advertising and popular entertainment) will show the elves and Santa's workshop as more of a processing and distribution facility, ordering and receiving the toys from various toy manufacturers from across the world. Although Dwight knows he is hallucinating, unlike Marv, he cannot quiet the gibbering corpse. Claus and his elves manufacturing toys. On the way there, Dwight begins to hallucinate that Jack is egging him on. During the rest of the year he lives together with his wife Mrs. After acquiring a car, slicing up all the bodies to stuff in the back trunk and leaving Jack in the front seat due to lack of space, Dwight begins the rainy drive to the Pits.

To enter the house, Santa Claus comes down the chimney and exits through the fireplace. Finally, after a tense argument between Gail and Dwight, the girls agree to hide the bodies in the Pits as Dwight recommended. On Christmas Eve, he rides in his sleigh pulled by flying reindeer from house to house to give presents to children. Gail starts proclaiming they'll fight anyone who tries to take them out while Dwight tries to recommend disposing the bodies before anyone suspects anything. Conventionally, Santa Claus is portrayed as a kindly, round-bellied, merry, bespectacled white man in a red coat trimmed with white fur (perhaps remotely derived from the episcopal vestments of the original Bishop Nicholas), with a long white beard and green or white gloves. This new fact is bad for all of Old Town, as the shaky truce between the police and the girls is all but shattered. Much of the iconography of Santa Claus could be seen to derive from Russian traditions of Ded Moroz, particularly transmitted into western European culture through his German folklore equivalent, Väterchen Frost. Then he realizes that Shellie was screaming "COP!".

He delivers presents to children and has a red coat, fur boots and long white beard. As the girls loot the corpses, Dwight searches Jack's person and finds a police badge revealing him to be "Iron" Jack Rafferty. Depictions of Santa Claus also have a close relationship with the Russian character of Ded Moroz ("Grandfather Frost"). Miho finishes him off by slicing his neck. In many Eastern Orthodox traditions, Santa Claus visits children on New Year's Day and is identified with Saint Basil whose memory is celebrated on that day. When Jack tries to shoot the intervening Dwight his gun backfires, sending the barrel into his forehead. He forms an important part of the Christmas tradition throughout the Western world and Japan and other parts of East Asia. As Dwight tries to make Jack quit his foolish game, Miho sabotages his gun by throwing a plug into the barrel.

This inspired the mythical figure of Sinterklaas, the subject of a major celebration in the Netherlands and Belgium, Germany (where his alleged date of death, December 6, is celebrated the evening before on December 5), which in turn inspired both the myth and the name of Santa Claus (actually a mispronunciation of the Dutch word "Sinterklaas" by the English settlers of New Amsterdam (later renamed New York)). Miho and Jack get in a standoff. Santa is a variant of a European person folk tale based on the historical figure Saint Nicholas, a bishop from the region that is now present-day Turkey, who gave presents to the poor. During the attack, Dwight has an impending sense that something is wrong but can't place his finger on it. . Immediately afterward Miho throws a swastika-shaped projectile that cuts off Jack's hand, then descend on the car and quickly kills every man but Jack. Father Christmas is also present instead of "Santa" in Italy ("Babbo Natale"), Brazil ("Papai Noel"), Czech_Republic ("Ježíšek"), Portugal ("Pai Natal"), Romania ("Moş Crăciun"), Germany ("Weihnachtsmann"), Ireland ("Daidí na Nollag"), France and French Canada ("Le Père Noël"), Spain and Mexico ("Papá Noel"), Afghanistan ("Baba Chaghaloo"), and South Africa. Instead of being scared or surprised, Becky is instead filled with pity, proclaiming that he has just done the dumbest thing in his life.

Using 'Santa' in places that predominantly call him 'Father Christmas' is often viewed as an Americanism and is quite rare, although they are generally regarded as the same character. He finally pulls out a handgun and aims it at her. "Father Christmas" is similar in many ways, though the two have quite different origins. Meanwhile, Jack continues to pester Becky, escalating to outright anger at the egging on of his friends. Father Christmas is a well-loved figure in many countries and predates the "Santa Claus" character. As Dwight spots Miho on the roof, he uncomfortably agrees and watches as the alley is closed off. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus. She advises Dwight to stay put and let the girls handle Jack themselves.

Santa Claus (also known as Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, Santy or simply Santa) is a folk hero in various cultures who distributes presents to children, traditionally on Christmas Eve. Dwight follows close behind and is then caught off guard by Gail, one of Old Town's most experienced hookers and guardians. "Why Track Him?" at NORADsanta.org. As Jack spots a young girl named Becky walking alone in a dark alley, he follows beside her, asking coyly for her services and constantly being rejected. ISBN 0609605631. A police car follows them both, but stops and turns around once the cars enter Old Town, the area of Sin City full of and run by the prostitutes of the area. New York: Crown Publishers, 2000. As Dwight speeds toward Jack's car, his speeding has caught the attention of the police.

Twenty Ads that Shook the World. He jumps off the building, ignoring Shellie's muffled yell that sounds like "Stop!". Twitchell, James B. After ensuring her safety, Dwight becomes worried that Jack will cause more trouble and must be stopped somehow. ISBN 0786402466. Shellie investigates the apartment and finds Dwight on the railing outside the building. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 1996. Jack awakens a few seconds later and storms out, demanding that his group not mention these events.

Santa Claus, Last of the Wild Men: The Origins and Evolution of Saint Nicholas, Spanning 50,000 Years. When Jack scoffs at the threat Dwight dunks his head into the toilet (where Jack had been urinating the minute before) until his body goes limp. Siefker, Phyllis. Getting the jump on Jack, Dwight holds a knife to his neck and tells him to stop bothering Shellie. ISBN 0060972610. He then goes to the bathroom where Dwight is hiding in the shower stall. New York: HarperCollins, 1988. Shellie refuses and it culminates in Jack hitting her in the face.

Legends, Lies, and Cherished Myths of American History. The drunken man, named Jack, talks about his plans to have fun at every bar in town that night and insists Shellie call in some of her fellow co-workers to come along. Shenkman, Richard. When the man outside threatens to break down her door, Shellie reluctantly opens it while Dwight hides in the toilet. ISBN 0822216310. Dwight tells the barmaid to let the man, and his ensuing entourage, in. New York: Dramatists Play Service, 1998. Shellie is obviously scared, but is comforted by Dwight who has gotten a new face.

The Santaland Diaries and Seasons Greetings: Two Plays. First published November 1994–March 1995, The Big Fat Kill opens in Shellie's apartment, where a drunken former fling is furiously rapping on her door, demanding to be let in. Sedaris, David. Let's get you home." With the girl in his arms, he walks off into the distance, as the snow obscures his receding form. Nicholas of Myra" in the Catholic Encyclopedia at NewAdvent.org. He retrieves the little girl, saying, "Your momma's been callin' after you, Kimberly. "St. It only then becomes apparent that the child was being sold for sex.

ISBN 097488958X. Marv draws two pistols and kills the pair of henchmen, then executes the woman. 1948; facsimile reprint, Mohegan Lake, N.Y.: Red Jacket Press, 2005. Through a small viewing slit, he can see a terrified little girl crouching in darkness in the room beyond. Roads. Marv hands her a wad of bills and is shown to a steel door in the far wall. Quinn, Seabury. He is met by two armed men and a leather-clad woman, who is apparently their boss.

"Celluloid Santas" at Factmonster.com. He intimidates the bouncer, Fatman, with his sheer size and is led inside and down a flight of stairs. Potter, Alicia. Against a backdrop of heavy snow, Marv, a hulking, trenchcoat-clad figure, approaches a door in a dark alley. 309-317. It is a 15-page story about Marv's rescue of a little girl, in which there is almost no dialogue; only one speech bubble appears in the entire story. 302 (October-December 1963), pp. Silent Night is a one-shot short story that Frank Miller released in November 1994.

"The Japanese Popular Christmas: Coping with Modernity." American Journal of Folklore, 76, no. She was not a hooker, rather a nun that had flirted with temptation before ultimately deciding to dedicate her life to God. Plath, David W. He also receives a package from Mary. ISBN 0961423498. Dwight reads up on the whole situation and realizes that Fargo was simply the scapegoat for illegal drug-related activities and had paid the ultimate price. Kennewick, Wash.: Natural Products Company, 1993. He eventually receives a package from Fargo who had shipped it off before his untimely demise.

Pharmacotheon: Entheogenic Drugs, Their Plant Sources and History. He duels with both of them again and due to insistence from Mary decides to shoot them in the leg instead of killing them. Ott, Jonathan. In the mean time, the Babe introduces herself as a hooker named Mary, but Dwight can tell she's lying. 17-29. Although they successfully elude the pair, Dwight refuses to let them off easy, choosing rather to head to The Farm to deal with them. 1 (Summer 1994), pp. Under a barrage of sniper shots from Douglas Klump, Dwight and the Babe reach their car and speed off.

"Yes, Virginia, There is a Gender Difference: Analyzing Children's Requests to Santa Claus." Journal of Popular Culture, 28, no. He knocks out Shlubb and finds the titular character hiding in the shower. Otnes, Cele, Kyungseung Kim, and Young Chan Kim. Dwight stumbles upon the hanging corpse of Fargo in his apartment and encounters Mr Shlubb, half of the recurring supporting duo, Douglas Klump and Burt Shlubb (aka Fat Man and Little Boy). ISBN 0649412239. The Babe Wore Red centres around the character of Dwight and the murder of his friend Fargo. Knopf, 1996. The Customer, having connections, hires The Salesman to kill her.

New York: Alfred A. The mafia member then swore to her that she would die in the most terrible way possible, and when it is least expected. The Battle for Christmas. Later information given by Frank Miller on the commentary of the Recut & Extended DVD Edition states that The Customer had an affair with a member of the mafia, and when she found out tried to break it off with him. Nissenbaum, Stephen. The reader is led to believe that The Customer had fallen into a serious and difficult situation and, with no other feasible alternative, hired The Salesman to kill her. December 23, 1823. A silenced gunshot stabs the night air to reveal that The Salesman has shot The Customer.

Nicholas." Troy (N.Y.) Sentinel. It is unclear what their past involves even as they embrace in a passionate kiss. "A Visit from St. The story involves an enigmatic tryst between two nameless characters; "The Customer" and "The Salesman." They meet on the terrace of a high rise building, hinting that although they seem to be acting like strangers, they do indeed have some sort of past. [Moore, Clement Clarke]. The sequence served as the original proof of concept footage that director Robert Rodriguez filmed to convince Frank Miller to allow him to adapt Sin City to the silver screen. In the Ten Ages of Christmas at BBC.co.uk. The Customer is Always Right short served as the opening sequence for the movie Sin City, which featured Josh Hartnett and Marley Shelton.

"The restrained restoration of Christmas". Although the Cowboy is willing to confess to the cops, the girls have other plans and invite Miho to finish the job. Lalumia, Christine. The enigmatic "Cowboy" is captured by the allure of Wendy and subsequently shot and tied up by Gail. Full text available here. And Behind Door Number Three? is a short story about Gail and Wendy (who's now wearing Marv's necklace) setting a trap for a man they suspect is 'carving up' girls in Old Town. . London: Charles Brome, 1686.
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The Examination and Tryal of Old Father Christmas; Together with his Clearing by the Jury . It reprints a serial run in Previews:. King, Josiah. First published November 1994, The Babe Wore Red and Other Stories is a publication of short stories. September 21, 1897. Dwight finally sees through all the lies and kills Ava. "Is There a Santa Claus?" New York Sun. Ava then tries telling Dwight that Manute had her under mind control to manipulate her and Damien and that it would be a cruel irony if he killed her now.