It’s all over the news — the picture of the Pope wearing what looks awfully like a Santa Claus hat. Actually, it’s the kind of warm red and ermine winter hat that popes and kings and other nobility wore in cold climates way way back in the olden days. And, from what I understand, the pope still carries on that tradition. I’m wondering if this pope was astute enough to wear that hat as a reminder of just where the Santa hat — and the Santa legend — came from. It’s probably just the kind of hat that the European version of the original St. Nicholas, who was an actual Catholic bishop, wore.
Somehow the hat just doesn’t work without the beard.