Christmas in the American Civil War "the best recruiting sergeant the North ever had". Nast was not the only one to use Christmas as a propaganda tool. On the Union side, "The New York Herald" also engaged in propaganda. One illustration published in the paper included Santa Claus fuming that he could not reach southern children, due to the northern blockade. On the Confederate side, "The Richmond Examiner" described Santa to its young readers as "a Dutch toy monger" who was a New York/New England "scrub" and Hottentot that had nothing to do with traditional Virginian celebrations of Christmas. Even through the war was over, Nast
Condé Nast (businessman) Condé Nast (businessman) Condé Montrose Nast (March 26, 1873 – September 19, 1942) was an American publisher, entrepreneur and business magnate. He founded Condé Nast, a mass media company, now a subsidiary of Advance Publications, who published and maintained brands such as "Vanity Fair", "Vogue", and "The New Yorker". Named after his uncle, Condé Montrose Nast was born in New York City to a family of Midwestern origin. His father, William F. Nast—son of the German-born Methodist leader William Nast—was an inventor who had served as U.S. attaché in Berlin. His mother, the former Esther A. Benoist, was a daughter