🎅 The origin of Santa Claus – and what the fly agaric has to do with it

Santa Claus, as we know him today , is a cheerful old man in a red coat with a white beard. But have you ever wondered where this image actually comes from ?

The answer takes us far north — to the Sami , the indigenous people of Lapland. And right into the world of the fly agaric ( Amanita muscaria) . 🍄✨

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🛷 Reindeer, red coats & mushrooms – an amazing combination

• The Sami shamans wore red clothes with white decorations , often made of reindeer leather .

• They lived in yurt -like dwellings with a smoke hole in the roof .

• During the winter they brought dried fly agarics in a sack , often on a sledge, to the people - and climbed in through the smoke hole .

Does this sound familiar to you ? 😉

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🍄 The fly agaric as a tool of trance

Shamans traditionally used Amanita muscaria in rituals to receive visions , communicate with spirits and enter the “ otherworld ” .​​

The effect was often:

• Feeling of flying

• Euphoria & mental clarity

• deep spiritual experiences

Reindeer too According to tradition , they reacted to fly agarics – they ate them, showed unusual behavior and were considered “ flying animals” in Sami myths .

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🎄 From shamanism to Coca- Cola Santa Claus?

Although Santa Claus 's red and white look has been heavily influenced by advertising ( including Coca- Cola) in modern times , many of his features can be traced back to old, mushroom- related customs :