The original Santa Claus, St. Nicholas was born in an ancient Southern Turkish town of Lycia in the early fourth century. His generosity was legendary and he was particularly fond of Children. this is known primarily through Roman accounts of his patronage of youths, which eventually led to his becoming the patron saint of Children.

He is honoured in several countries on the day of his death, December 6 in the year 345. due to the proximity of this date to the birth of Jesus Christ the two events were merged.

The Dutch decided to keep the St. Nicholas tradition alive. They brought with them to the new world two Christmas items that were quickly Americanized.

Flashback to the sixteenth century Holland when Children placed wooden shoes by the hearth the night of St. Nicholas's arrival. these shoes were filled with straw, a meal for the Saint's gift laden donkey. In return, St. Nicholas would insert a small treat into each clog. In America the clog was replaced with the stocking hung by the Chimney.

The Dutch spelled St. Nicholas "Sint Nikolass", which was changed to "SinterKlass" in the new world and later changed to "Santa-Claus.

Most of the things associated with Santa-Claus now, the reindeer-drawn sleigh and the red and white costume originated in America. Even the story, "The Night Before Christmas", which was written by Dr. Clement Clark Moore in 1882, to read to his children on Christmas Eve.

America also made Santa fat. The rosy cheeked, roly-poly Santa is considered as the handiwork of the influential nineteenth century cartoonist, Thomas Nast. between 1863 and 1886, Nast created a series of Christmas drawings for Harper's weekly. these drawings ensured Santa's metamorphosis from a podgy, diminutive, elf like creature of Dr. Moore immortal poem to the bearded, potbellied life size bell ringer familiar to all of us today.

Filed under: Christmas Traditions

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