Before he was the jolly old elf “dressed in all fur from his head to his foot” we all know today, the story of Santa Claus — also known as St. Nicholas — originated in the Mediterranean.
Christian households especially should remind children who Santa really was by retelling the story of St. Nicholas, a man of goodness and a light in the dark.
If parents would start by telling their children about the true St. Nicholas, the magic of Santa Claus would never disappear. Santa Claus should be remembered for the true good he did for the world’s most vulnerable beings.
St. Nicholas was born in modern day Myra, Turkey, according to Brian Handwork of National Geographic. In his article titled “St. Nicholas to Santa,” Handwork explains that St. Nicholas began his ministry as a bishop before spending years in prison for defending Christianity.
During his time as a bishop, St. Nicholas saved three young girls from a life of prostitution. In a well-known tale, Bishop Nicholas freed these girls by giving their father sacks of money as a dowry for his daughters. The saint soon became known as the patron of children, and tales of his heroism were spread.
St. Nicholas was canonized by the Catholic church and became known as the “bringer of gifts” to children. However, the tales of St. Nicholas have lost their religious connections over time, and today parents focus mainly on his gift-bringing.
St. Nicholas became “Sinterklaas” in the Netherlands, “Kris Kringle” to German and Swiss children, and “Santa Clause” to American children. German figures such as Krampus erupted around Europe, threatening poorly behaved children with no gifts, kidnappings or beatings.
At first, America strongly rejected the tradition of Santa Claus because the New England Christmas strongly resembled the pagan holiday Saturnalia, a holiday during which pagans engaged in “a week of lawlessness,” according to Judaism Online.
Then, father and poet Clement Clarke Moore wrote his poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” more commonly known as “The Night Before Christmas.” He forever changed the idea of Santa Claus with this famous verse: “‘Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.”
From then on, St. Nicholas was no longer seen as a saint to the public. I believe that in order to keep the true meaning of Christmas in our hearts, we must remember why St. Nicholas is so important.
St. Nicholas is not just an old man from the North Pole — he was a saint who deserves to be recognized as such.
The next time you leave out the cookies and milk before falling asleep Christmas Eve, I urge you to take a moment to remember the good works of St. Nicholas.
