Although Christmas is supposed to be a merry time, it is agreed that without a certain person it would not be the same. Santa Claus, as most in the United States call him, is a jolly plump man who gives presents to all of the world every year on Christmas eve.
One may ask how the legend of Kris Kringle spread. It all started in the streets of Patara, near Myra (modern day Turkey) in about 280 A.D., where the noble bishop St. Nicholas lived. There in Myra he would show great generosity and kindness, helping many people in need.
In 1087, a group of sailors took St. Nicholas’ remains after his death, moving them from Myra to Italy. This caused a significant increase in popularity for St. Nicholas during the middle ages in Europe. From there, his great tales of generosity spread across countries in Europe. According to History Channel, one specific tale was how St. Nicholas gave dowries to several poor women so they could have a marriage instead of being sold into slavery or prostitution by their father.
In time, the stories of St. Nicolas finally arrived on the shores of North America in the 17th Century. However, the explanation of the tales being brought to America remains slightly mysterious. According to English-heritage.org, The History of Father Christmas stories spread to the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam in the early 1600s, which eventually changed to British New York. The Dutch referred to him as “Sinterklaas” (Saint Nicholas) and the name evolved. Over time, newspapers and poems brought more attention to the merry man. For example, a newspaper, the New York Spectator showed a poem featuring “Sancte Claus,” flying in a wagon delivering presents to all. The different articles written about the man changed his usual name Saint Nicholas, to the name we all know and love, Santa Claus.
Over the years, the impact of St. Nicholas influenced a number of cultures to create different versions of the Father Christmas story. Countries like Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and France all have individually unique alterations of Santa Claus. In the United Kingdom, they refer to Santa as “Father Christmas.”
The concept of Santa is a great representation of the holiday spirit, and as a result, we can learn to be more merry and joyful throughout all of christmas time!
