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Hello all!
I was sharing these pics with Austin earlier today, and he suggested that I post them. I am mostly known for my monster customs, so it didn't even occur to me to post them, but I do, on occasion, make some non-monster customs, and the following figures are some of my favorites.
One of the things that has always fascinated me are the various incarnations of the winter gift-giver tradition around the world, and in different eras. The way in which the various cultures merged and melded and diverged to bring about the modern "Santa" we all know. My Mom was the one who turned me onto the topic in my youth. And so, over the past decade, every few years at Christmas, I give her a Mego scale custom of a Santa from around the world.
Here are the ones I've made so far, with a brief description. Hope you enjoy!
Traditional Santa: This one kind of explains itself. The most identifiable one. His head is a modified Mego Wizard of Oz, and his red fabric on his clothes came from a Christmas stocking. He has on black LJN boots (though you can't see them). The sack is filled with miniature Mego scale toys, and a long scroll containing "naughty and nice" lists
Victorian Era Father Christmas: This version of Santa from England is my favorite of the set. I didn't want him to just look like the Ghost of Christmas Present, so I went for a more esoteric version of the character. This design was culled from an old card from the 1880s. The gold trimming on his robe has special significance which I explain further down. He has kind of a stern, solemn look in the flesh. But I couldn't quite get that to come up on camera. Oh well...
The Weihnachtsmann and Pelznickel: Literally the "Winter Night Man", this lovely figure is one of just several regional gift givers who originated in Germany. Usually clad in a long blue cape trimmed with gray fur, this version of Santa would be accompanied by two or more companions: Pelznickel was a variation on Ruprecht/Krampus. He was clad in fur pelts with sticks and twigs sticking out of it and looking quite wild. Sometimes he would help Weihnachtsmann bring gifts and sometimes he would carry sticks to beat the bad kids. Sometimes he was portrayed as having a Pan-like satyr head as seen here, and other times just a wild-man with a beard. Sometimes Pelznickel would be depicted as wearing a devil mask (as opposed to Krampus who WAS a devil character). One of the Weihnachtsmann's other common companions was the Kristkindl (literally Christ Child) who would bring gifts as well. Kristkindl is where we get the term "Kris Kringle". Pelznickel's head sculpt was given to me years ago by Laurie Halbritter and is a modified Klingon. I added the devil's horns
Saint Nicholas of Myra: The granddaddy of them all (or one of them anyways), this version of the Greek Bishop of Myra is not often represented in figural form. The legend goes that the Bishop, hearing of a father in town who had three grown daughters but no money for their dowry, decided to come their aid, lest the women remain unmarried and be forced into a life of poverty or prostitution. Wishing to remain anonymous, the Bishop rode into town in the night and threw three bags of gold coins through the window of the girls' bedrooms. Another version has him tossing the gold down the chimney. The eldest daughter, who had left her stockings out to dry by the fire, caught the gold in her stocking, which may be the origin of that famous custom. St. Nicholas is often depicted in art holding three oranges, to represent the three gold sacs. Gold trimming on the cloak of Father Christmas is a reference to the gold gift in the original story. I am quite fond of this figure
Grandfather Frost: The gift giver of Russia and the Slavic states is an interesting amalgam of characters we know as Santa and Jack Frost. If the rules of Western Santa Claus were formally codified in "The Night Before Christmas", then the corollary to that in Russian literature would surely have to be the fairy tale "Morozko", by Alexander Afanasyev. It doesn't lay out all the rules for Father Frost, but it is the most significant piece of literature featuring him. Grandfather Frost (called Ded Moroz) would bring the snow, and frost and ice, as well as gifts in the winter. He is often depicted in long flowing robes with images of snowflakes and stars upon them. He carries a magic wand with which he makes the snow and ice appear. There were regional differences to this character throughout the various territories, and this figure is based specifically on how he was depicted in Serbia. As it happens, I studied in graduate school with a lab partner who grew up in Belgrade during Soviet rule. Grandfather Frost had special significance for her, as religion was outlawed under communism, so no references to saints were allowed obviously. I based this figure entirely upon her description of the character to me.
Incidentally "Morozko" was adapted into a very famous Russian children's film which ultimately found its way to our shores under the title of, you guessed it, "Jack Frost." This is the film that MST3K famously skewered in their brilliant 8th season episode.
Thanks for looking all, and Merry Christmas!
Matt
I was sharing these pics with Austin earlier today, and he suggested that I post them. I am mostly known for my monster customs, so it didn't even occur to me to post them, but I do, on occasion, make some non-monster customs, and the following figures are some of my favorites.
One of the things that has always fascinated me are the various incarnations of the winter gift-giver tradition around the world, and in different eras. The way in which the various cultures merged and melded and diverged to bring about the modern "Santa" we all know. My Mom was the one who turned me onto the topic in my youth. And so, over the past decade, every few years at Christmas, I give her a Mego scale custom of a Santa from around the world.
Here are the ones I've made so far, with a brief description. Hope you enjoy!
Traditional Santa: This one kind of explains itself. The most identifiable one. His head is a modified Mego Wizard of Oz, and his red fabric on his clothes came from a Christmas stocking. He has on black LJN boots (though you can't see them). The sack is filled with miniature Mego scale toys, and a long scroll containing "naughty and nice" lists
Victorian Era Father Christmas: This version of Santa from England is my favorite of the set. I didn't want him to just look like the Ghost of Christmas Present, so I went for a more esoteric version of the character. This design was culled from an old card from the 1880s. The gold trimming on his robe has special significance which I explain further down. He has kind of a stern, solemn look in the flesh. But I couldn't quite get that to come up on camera. Oh well...
The Weihnachtsmann and Pelznickel: Literally the "Winter Night Man", this lovely figure is one of just several regional gift givers who originated in Germany. Usually clad in a long blue cape trimmed with gray fur, this version of Santa would be accompanied by two or more companions: Pelznickel was a variation on Ruprecht/Krampus. He was clad in fur pelts with sticks and twigs sticking out of it and looking quite wild. Sometimes he would help Weihnachtsmann bring gifts and sometimes he would carry sticks to beat the bad kids. Sometimes he was portrayed as having a Pan-like satyr head as seen here, and other times just a wild-man with a beard. Sometimes Pelznickel would be depicted as wearing a devil mask (as opposed to Krampus who WAS a devil character). One of the Weihnachtsmann's other common companions was the Kristkindl (literally Christ Child) who would bring gifts as well. Kristkindl is where we get the term "Kris Kringle". Pelznickel's head sculpt was given to me years ago by Laurie Halbritter and is a modified Klingon. I added the devil's horns
Saint Nicholas of Myra: The granddaddy of them all (or one of them anyways), this version of the Greek Bishop of Myra is not often represented in figural form. The legend goes that the Bishop, hearing of a father in town who had three grown daughters but no money for their dowry, decided to come their aid, lest the women remain unmarried and be forced into a life of poverty or prostitution. Wishing to remain anonymous, the Bishop rode into town in the night and threw three bags of gold coins through the window of the girls' bedrooms. Another version has him tossing the gold down the chimney. The eldest daughter, who had left her stockings out to dry by the fire, caught the gold in her stocking, which may be the origin of that famous custom. St. Nicholas is often depicted in art holding three oranges, to represent the three gold sacs. Gold trimming on the cloak of Father Christmas is a reference to the gold gift in the original story. I am quite fond of this figure
Grandfather Frost: The gift giver of Russia and the Slavic states is an interesting amalgam of characters we know as Santa and Jack Frost. If the rules of Western Santa Claus were formally codified in "The Night Before Christmas", then the corollary to that in Russian literature would surely have to be the fairy tale "Morozko", by Alexander Afanasyev. It doesn't lay out all the rules for Father Frost, but it is the most significant piece of literature featuring him. Grandfather Frost (called Ded Moroz) would bring the snow, and frost and ice, as well as gifts in the winter. He is often depicted in long flowing robes with images of snowflakes and stars upon them. He carries a magic wand with which he makes the snow and ice appear. There were regional differences to this character throughout the various territories, and this figure is based specifically on how he was depicted in Serbia. As it happens, I studied in graduate school with a lab partner who grew up in Belgrade during Soviet rule. Grandfather Frost had special significance for her, as religion was outlawed under communism, so no references to saints were allowed obviously. I based this figure entirely upon her description of the character to me.
Incidentally "Morozko" was adapted into a very famous Russian children's film which ultimately found its way to our shores under the title of, you guessed it, "Jack Frost." This is the film that MST3K famously skewered in their brilliant 8th season episode.
Thanks for looking all, and Merry Christmas!
Matt
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