"Santa Claus" is a fictional character associated with Christmas found among Christians. Known as an old man who is always happy, very fat, and laughing, he wears a red jacket trimmed with white fur and covers his face with a bright white beard.
He is the traditional patron of Christmas in the United States and other countries, bringing gifts to children. His popular image is based on traditions associated with Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century Christian saint. Father Christmas fills the role in many European countries.
It is said that the story of Santa Claus is based on the true story of Saint Nicholas, the bishop of Myra, who lived in the fifth century AD. Saint Nicholas used to distribute gifts to the poor and needy families during the night without these families knowing who the donor was, and he happened to die in December.
Nicholas was born in the 3rd century to wealthy Christian parents in Patara, a harbor city in modern-day Turkey. Nicholas and his parents could probably trace their spiritual heritage to the Apostle Paul, who stopped in Patara on his third missionary journey 200 years earlier.
It is said that Nicholas' parents were devout believers who had long prayed for a child. When Nicholas was finally born, they devoted him to God. He was raised with great affection and special attention as an only child.
However, when Nicholas was still a young boy (likely a teenager), a plague struck his city and his parents died. Though a loss like this might turn some away from God, it seems to have drawn Nicholas closer to him. The loss of his parents also seems to have made the boy's heart tender to the suffering of others.
Another story says that when people from the Netherlands migrated to New World colonies, they spoke about the legend of Sinter Klaas, which is a Dutch nickname for Sint Nikolaas. The stories of the Saint's generosity reached far and wide in America by 1700, and popular culture there transformed the man's image. Eventually, the name evolved to become Santa Claus.
The modern image- the man with red clothes and long beard coming on carts drawn by deer and entering homes by the fireplace- dates back to 1822 when the American poet Clarke Moore wrote the poem "The Night Before Christmas." The poem depicted Santa Claus as a jolly man who flies from home to home on a sled driven by reindeer to deliver toys.
The iconic version of Santa Claus as a jolly man in red with a white beard and a sack of toys was immortalized in 1881 when political cartoonist Thomas Nast drew on Moore's poem to create the image of Old Saint Nick we know today.
Children often write letters to Santa and put them in a Christmas pouch or near a tree before the holiday. They wake up on the morning of the holiday to open the pouches. It is also a common custom for all family members to exchange gifts.
Many names are given to this good old man in the red dress, white beard, with his bell ringing, his distinctive laugh, and the gift bag full of everything that is beautiful and special which brings joy and happiness to children at Christmas all over the world. There are many stories and accounts about Santa Claus's origin and the religious and cultural roots of this character, who has become among the most prominent symbols of Christmas.
