If ending adjectives in "A" indicates female gender should it not be "Santo Claus" ?

[GreatGazoo]

I get that "Santa" is a nicname for 'Saint' and "Claus" for Nicholas but can't seem to find anything on the gender. Throughout Latin based languages "A" is always female and "O" is always masculine so how did this happen?

[B2G]

1. It was changed during the 1890 Great War on Christmas. nt

[GreatGazoo]

2. those bastards! NT

[trotsky]

7. Many casualties in battles that year. n/t

[B2G]

8. Yes. It took the Elf on the Shelf battilion over 100 years to regroup.

They are a very fragile lot.

[pinboy3niner]

10. Fragile, indeed after spending most of their time at the Elf on the Shelf Battilion Cotillion

[Cirque du So-What]

3. Because it's of Germanic derivation?

[freeplessinseattle]

14. Yep:)

[whatthehey]

4. Could be wrong but I think it's a corruption of the Dutch

Sinter Klaas rather than a borrowing from a Romance language where the gender suffixes are more in line with yours.

[TexasProgresive]

5. From Dutch which is not a Romance language.

http://www.history.com/topics/christmas/santa-claus
The name Santa Claus evolved from Nick’s Dutch nickname, Sinter Klaas, a shortened form of Sint Nikolaas (Dutch for Saint Nicholas).

Sinter probably became Santa in the US by children who said Santa instead of Sinter. Rural Texas used to call him Santy.

[FrodosPet]

6. The Sanity Clause

[GreatGazoo]

9. Thanks. That cracked it for me...

Since some elements of the Sinterklaas celebration are unrelated to Christianity, there are theories regarding the pagan origins of various customs of the holiday stemming from areas where the Germanic peoples were Christianized and retained elements of their indigenous traditions, surviving in various forms into modern depictions of Sinterklaas. Non-Christian elements in Sinterklaas that arguably could have been of pagan origin:

Sinterklaas rides the rooftops on his white horse which has various names; Odin rides the sky with his grey horse Sleipnir.
Sinterklaas gives chocolate letters to children, like Odin gave the rune letters to man.
Sinterklaas carries a staff and has mischievous helpers with black faces, who listen at chimneys to find out whether children are bad or good and report to Sinterklaas; Odin has a spear and his black ravens, Huginn and Muninn, who report what happens in the world to Odin

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinterklaas#Pre-Christian_Europe

[TexasProgresive]

11. Are you familiar with Comparative mythology?

This is the comparison of myths and legends from many cultures and times. It appears that there are limited types of these myths and common themes run throughout the world. Many use this as proof that the major religions of the world are false, but there is the fact that all these people of divers backgrounds and times seem to come up with the same stories. So the commonality is as much a proof for as it could be a proof against theism.

[bigwillq]

12. Santa err Santo is transgender and decided to go with Santa. Ok?

Have some tolerance, please.

Now, where are my presents?

[H2O Man]

13. hugh!

[pinboy3niner]

15. I'm not seeing the problem here...

[spanone]

16. here's santo & his brother

[icymist]

17. I had a friend in the '80's, Dana, this guy who cleaned floors for a living.

One of my great-grandfather's name is Asa. Another great-grandfather, Elijah ('H' is silent). Besides, This is probably what started Thomas Edison hating Nicola Tesla back in the day.

[1939]

18. When the Christians were trying to "push the product" in northern Europe

Many of the attributes of the Germanic gods and goddesses were grafted on to Christian saints. Saint Nicholas acquired the attributes of Woden/Wotan/Odin.

Saint Valentine acquired the attributes of the god Vali.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

19. It is also funny how we Americans pronounce Claus like "Claws"

instead of pronouncing it so it rhymes with house. I know a German guy named Klaus (pronounced the rhymes with house way). He refers to himself as Santa Klaus when he gives out Christmas presents.