It is around that time again where everyone is getting ready for Christmas. People will be shopping, families are decorating their homes festively and the holiday advertisements are playing on the TV.
Kids write down their Christmas lists to give to Santa. The jolly old fellow is working hard at the north pole, where his elves meticulously create toys around the clock. Everyone knows about St. Nicholas but they do not know where or when he came about.
The legend of Father Christmas began in Myra, Turkey, then called Patara. The year was 280 A.D. and Turkish Nicholas, who later became a Saint, was known for his kind and caring heart. He was believed to have traveled all around, aiding the poor and ill. It is said that he gave away the wealth he was set to inherit, choosing the alternative instead. A popular tale is that he rescued three poor sisters from slavery by giving them a dowry for marriage. However, he wasn’t considered a saint until after his death in 343 A.D.
Centuries later, St. Nicolas’s feast day was marked on December 6, the day he died. French Catholics began commemorating this day in the 13th century. This holiday is still celebrated to this day.
Children all over the world celebrate this day by putting out their shoes the night before St. Nicholas. Then, the next day, they wake up to gifts. Their shoes are filled with things from candy to stuffed animals to toys. The tradition gives the children something to look forward to and also gets them into the Christmas spirit.
Santa Claus did not make his appearance in the United States until the 1700s. A New York journalist spotted a group of Dutchmen grouped together on St. Nicolas’s death anniversary. In fact, the name Santa Claus has Dutch roots. It originates from the Dutch name Sint Nikolaas.
Later, a member of New York’s historical society had engravings done of today’s Santa Claus. The pictures showed the jolly old fellow filling stockings with candy and toys. From then on, Sint Nikolaas was popularized throughout America.
The story of Santa Claus, or St. Nick, is one that has origins in France, Amsterdam and Turkey. It has survived centuries and centuries of various generations of people. In all versions of the jolly old fellow, it remains clear that he is known worldwide for his generosity in gift-giving. The belief in Santa Claus is what brings families and friends together.