One of the most visible figures during the Christmas season is Santa Claus. During the holiday commercial establishments have personnel dressed up as Santa to enliven the spirit of the season and to help heighten business activities. In the west and in other regions of the world Santa is generally depicted as jolly, fat, white-bearded old man with red suits. He is also depicted as always on sleigh pulled by reindeers as he comes to homes via the chimney to deliver toys to the children.
It is said that the real Santa was the Greek bishop Nicholas
of Myra who was born in third century in the village of Patara, now a part of
the southern coast of Turkey. Nicholas, an only son, was raised in a rich
family. At a young age his parents died because of an epidemic and he inherited
their wealth. As a devoted Christian, Nicholas lived his life in accordance
with the teachings of Christ. One of them was to share his material possessions
to the poor. His love of the children, his generosity to the poor, and his help
to the sick made him a true follower of Christ. He became a bishop at a very
young age. During the reign of Roman Emperor Diocletian the Christians were
persecuted and their religious leaders were imprisoned. One of them was Bishop
Nicholas of Myra. The situation of the Christians changed for the better when
the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great converted to Christianity. During his
reign he gave the Christians freedom to exercise their religion. This
development enabled Christianity to spread like wildfire throughout the ancient
Roman Empire. However, the Christians were deeply divided on their doctrine so
that in 325 AD Constantine had to call the bishops for a council in Nicea to
discuss on the issue. Nicholas was one of the bishops in the attendance list.
Nicholas died on December 6, 343 AD. His person and his good
deeds were widely known throughout Christendom so that he was made as patron
saint of people of different walks of life in many places, and many churches
were named after him. Stories on his deeds abound. One of the most popular
stories was on the three poor girls whom he saved from slavery. It was said
that their father could not afford a dowry for their would-be husbands. During
the time it was the father’s obligation to provide for the dowry so that he
could get ideal husband for his daughter or else she would consign her life to
being a slave. Out of nowhere, a sack with three gold bars was left in the
house of the girls and their father was able to solve their problem. The sack
of gold was attributed to Saint Nicholas who was said to have thrown it through
the window and landed right in a wet stocking which was left hanging by the
fire.
The Vikings who were sea-faring people made St. Nicholas as
one their patron saints. They helped spread the saint’s stories to the lands
that they went to such as Germany and Netherlands. The Dutch settlers in
America started the tradition of associating Christmas with St. Nicholas whom
they called “Sinter Klaas”. Overtime that name has evolved into what is now
Santa Claus.
To counter the commercialized tradition of Saint Nicholas
day which was on December 6, and to divert the focus of reverence to Christ
rather than on Saint Nicholas on Christmas, Martin Luther came up with Kris
Kringle. In that concept the giver of gifts to children is the child Christ who
does it when they are asleep. And because of that situation they never know who
the giver of the gift is.
Father Christmas who was also called “Old Man Winter” was a
figure related to a traditional pagan celebration of the winter solstice that
is assimilated to Christmas. He traveled from home to home and was given foods
and drinks by the people. In return Father
Christmas granted them blessings of a moderate winter.
The tradition on Santa Claus is a blend of religion,
historical facts, myths and legends so that most people consider Santa Claus,
Kris Kringle and Father Christmas as one and the same person. From the
historical Saint Nicholas people derived the tradition of putting in toys in
the stockings which are by the fire. From the Kris Kringle is the tradition of
giving gifts to children when they are asleep so that they don’t know who the
giver is. And from “Old Man Winter” is the legend that Santa Claus travels from
house to house. In the Middle Ages St. Nicholas was typically depicted as a
tall, thin and bearded Cleric. The fat and white bearded appearance of Santa
Claus as he is depicted today is generally traced to a 19th century
poem entitled “’Twas the Night before Christmas”.
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