Yesterday the Hulk helped explain the tradition of hanging stockings on the fireplace, Today his cousin, She-Hulk, will explain how elves came to work for Santa.

These diminutive helpers began as a hearty and beefy lot of Germanic and Norwegian heritage. Later they were wed with European sprites or gnomes who offered help to farmers.

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas introduced elves into Victorian folklore by describing Santa as one. Later, Harper’s Ferry featured a poem, The Wonders of Santa, that mentioned elves helping the fat one that continued to build on the myth.

Not Spock ears

In 1873 Santa was portrayed surrounded by elves on the Christmas cover of Godey’s Lady’s Book which offered an early visualization.

By the 20th century, the concept was cemented enough main stream artists like Norman Rockwell and others put brush and oil to canvas to further the legend. Today the belief is almost fact

Hanging stockings by the fireplace is a story that has evolved over centuries until, now, a jolly fat man puts presents in them each Christmas Eve.

Based on the generosity of real life St. Nicholas, the tradition allegedly began in the fourth century. Nicholas, the Bishop of Myra, was a Turk of some wealth. Legend has it he would gift the needy, not just one night a year, but when needed.

How, then, did this transfer into stockings by the hearth?

The story has St. Nicholas helping a man of little means with three daughters who he had no dowry for. The tradition of the times dictated to be married, women must enter the marriage with something of value.

So the daughters could marry, Nicholas was to have dropped gold coins down the chimney. The coins supposedly landed in stockings and so began the tradition.

Join Hulk as he perpetuates the legend.

Deadpool makes with a beefcake pose as he sports his green cap and usual red togs making with the Christmas colors.

Of all the hues in the color spectrum, only a few symbolize the holiday and only two are unmistakably Christmas.

Red and green date back to pre-Christmas and solstice. Celtics believed holly wreaths brought prosperity and good fortune. The colors continued even after the plants became nostalgia.

For the believer, the wreath became symbolic of the “crown” of thorns forced on Christ’s head prior to his crucifixion. The red symbolized the blood spilt.

In the 1930’s, the Coca-Cola company commissioned Michigan-born artist Haddon Sundblom to create a (then) modern Santa Claus. His red suit mirrored the Coke can while green lettering spelled out ad copy.

In addition to red and green are gold, blue and white. Gold represents the gift to the Christ child, blue Mother Mary’s robes and white the purity of Christ.

Does anyone really eat candy canes.

Apparently so. Candy canes are the number one selling, non-chocolate candy in December. One point seventy-six billion are manufactured annually with 90-percent of them sold between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The bulk of those are sold the second week of December.

Now, how many are eaten and how many are used for decoration is debatable.

Originally, candy canes – or their fore runners – were created to silence choir boys.

The choirmaster of the Cologne Cathedral in Germany would dispense the confectionary treats during the Living Crèche Ceremony. The tradition that began in 1670 migrated to the United States with August Imgard of German and Swedish descent in 1847. Wooster, OH, had the honor of of hosting the occasion.

The red stripes and peppermint flavoring were added at the turn of the 20th century.

Today Catwoman sports her Jim Lee designed costume that debuted in the Hush story arc complete with candy cane.

And, what would the holidays be without traditions?

   One of the most endearing is leaving cookies and milk out for Santa.

   While the roots of confection and dairy go back centuries, our current habit is less than 100 years old. Children in the 1930s were taught gratitude for gifts as they Great Depression ravaged the American economy.

   Batgirl keeps the jolly one full of sugar with her Christmas offering.

Milk and Batcookies

Let’s have a little Funko fun for the holidays this year. Presented for your gratification are an advent calendar of holiday themed heroes designed to inspire some Christmas cheer.

Kicking off the season is Captain America bundled up to ward off the deep freeze that has settled across much of the United States east of the Mississippi.

Brrrr.