The Christmas mushroom: is Santa Claus linked to fly agaric?

Is Santa Claus linked to fly agaric?

There is a popular theory that he is, but it is disputed. The fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) has a long, well-documented place in Christmas imagery as a lucky symbol.¹ The stronger claim, that the Santa story itself comes from Siberian shamans who used the mushroom, is argued by some academics and rejected by others.⁴

Well documented	Fly agaric on Victorian and Edwardian Christmas cards as a symbol of good luck1
Well documented	Use of fly agaric among Siberian peoples5
A legend	That Santa’s red and white suit comes from the mushroom’s colours1
A disputed theory	That Santa, his sleigh and his reindeer descend from Siberian shamanism4

Why is it called the Christmas mushroom?

Because it has been a Christmas decoration for well over a century. The fly agaric appeared frequently on Victorian and Edwardian Christmas cards as a symbol of good luck, and its red and white colours match the season.¹ It also grows under the same trees we bring indoors: it lives in partnership with pine, spruce and birch.³

What is the Santa and shaman theory?

The theory holds that Santa Claus is a modern echo of Siberian shamans who used fly agaric. Its supporters include the anthropologist John Rush of Sierra College, who has argued that shamans brought dried mushrooms as gifts at the winter solstice and entered homes through an opening in the roof.⁴

Carl Ruck, a classics professor at Boston University, has linked the shaman’s spirit animals to reindeer, and the Harvard biologist Donald Pfister has suggested that people who ate the mushroom may have had visions of flying reindeer.⁴

Is the theory true?

Not according to at least one leading historian. Ronald Hutton has said the theory is off-base, arguing that the historical evidence shows Siberian shamans did not travel by sleigh, did not link reindeer with spirits in this way, and did not wear red and white.⁴

So the honest summary is this: the mushroom’s place in Christmas imagery is real, the use of fly agaric in Siberia is real, and the idea that one produced the other is an attractive story that remains unproven.

Do reindeer eat fly agaric?

Reindeer in Siberia are reported to seek out fly agaric.⁴ Other animals certainly eat it. Red squirrels and slugs feed on fly agaric, and the larvae of specialised fungus gnats live on its fruiting bodies, even though it is poisonous to people.²

Why is it called the fly agaric?

The name comes from an old household use. The species name muscaria comes from the Latin musca, a fly. Caps were crumbled into saucers of milk to attract house flies, which were then poisoned by the ibotenic acid that dissolves into the milk.³

Is the Alice in Wonderland mushroom a fly agaric?

The fly agaric is strongly associated with the story. It features in Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland¹ and has become the archetypal fairy-tale toadstool, appearing in countless stories, television shows and video games.²

How old is the human use of fly agaric?

Very old. The mushroom has been consumed since ancient times in connection with mystical practices,⁶ and it has held ceremonial importance in parts of Asia for more than 4,000 years.¹ Its use among Siberian peoples is the documented core of most of the folklore that surrounds it.⁵

Nordic Nita sells the mushroom for what it is, without folklore claims. You can see our whole dried caps in the Nordic Nita collection.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Christmas mushroom?

The Christmas mushroom is the fly agaric, Amanita muscaria. It appeared on Victorian and Edwardian Christmas cards as a symbol of good luck, and its red and white colours match the season.

Is Santa Claus based on fly agaric mushrooms?

It is a popular theory but not an established fact. Some academics link Santa to Siberian shamans who used fly agaric. The historian Ronald Hutton has called the theory off-base.

Do reindeer eat fly agaric?

Reindeer in Siberia are reported to seek out fly agaric. Red squirrels and slugs are also known to eat it, even though it is poisonous to people.

Why is it called fly agaric?

The species name muscaria comes from the Latin musca, a fly. Caps were crumbled into saucers of milk to attract and poison house flies.

Is the Alice in Wonderland mushroom a fly agaric?

The fly agaric features in Alice in Wonderland and is the archetypal fairy-tale toadstool, appearing in countless stories, television shows and video games.

Related guides

• Amanita muscaria (fly agaric): the complete species guide
• Red and white mushroom: what is the red mushroom with white spots?
• Amanita muscaria look-alikes: how to tell fly agaric from similar mushrooms
• How to buy dried Amanita: what to look for in quality caps
• Types of Amanita: what the Amanita genus is and which species matter
• Amanita muscaria varieties: red, yellow and orange fly agarics
• Where does Amanita muscaria grow? Habitat, range and season
• Amanita muscaria vs psilocybin: is fly agaric a magic mushroom?
• Berserker mushroom: did Vikings really use fly agaric?
• Can you grow Amanita muscaria?
• How to store dried Amanita: storage and shelf life

Sources

1. Woodland Trust. Fly agaric (Amanita muscaria).
2. The Wildlife Trusts. Fly agaric.
3. First Nature. Amanita muscaria, Fly Agaric mushroom.
4. NBC News. Report on the Santa Claus and fly agaric theory.
5. Fatur K. (2019). Sagas of the Solanaceae: Speculative ethnobotanical perspectives on the Norse berserkers. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, article 112151. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2019.112151
6. Michelot D., Melendez-Howell L.M. (2003). Amanita muscaria: chemistry, biology, toxicology, and ethnomycology. Mycological Research 107(2): 131–146. doi:10.1017/s0953756203007305