There is a Santa Claus!
By Hope Wilkos, South Florida Blogger
“Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus!” He almost always knows who is naughty and who is nice. But are you aware of how Santa became this jolly legend?
History traces the story back hundreds of years to 280 A.D. to a small province near Turkey. A monk named St. Nicholas was born to wealthy parents. As he grew into adulthood, St. Nicholas gained the reputation as a kind, wealthy and honorable man. He felt more comfortable giving away his inherited wealth to those that were more in need than himself. He traveled the countryside reaching out to assist the poor and the sick. Humble in his ways, St. Nicholas really didn’t like children to see him handing out presents so he would request that they go to sleep early. He would then appear, leaving his treasured gifts. And so the tradition of children retiring to bed early on Christmas Eve came into being. If all the little ones were tucked snugly into their beds, Santa Claus could come down the chimney with a sack full of gifts thrown over his back and leave them under the Christmas tree.
Word also has it that St. Nicholas saved three poor sisters from being sold into slavery or prostitution by their father. The sisters had just left their newly washed stockings hanging by the fire to dry. St. Nicholas dropped some gold into the stockings to be used as a dowry so they could be married and live happily ever after. This began the everlasting tradition of hanging stockings to be filled with all kinds of surprises for Christmas Day.
St. Nicholas became the most popular saint in Europe as well as notorious for being a protector of children and sailors alike.
In 1773, St. Nicholas first appeared in media as St. A. Claus. Of course he made his way into American culture towards the end of the 18th Century. St. Nicholas became known as Santa Claus. His Dutch nickname was Sinter Klaas but it was such a difficult name to pronounce that children felt more comfortable saying Santa Claus. Over time, St. Nicholas became Santa Claus and then synonymously became associated as Father Christmas and Kris Kringle.
The plump, jolly, old man with a belly full of jelly became a classic figure due mostly to the influence of caricaturist and political cartoonist, Thomas Nast. His image is plastered all over the globe. But legend has it that his true home is far, far away up in the immortal land of the North Pole where snow is the norm all year round. He lives there with Mrs. Claus, his eight reindeer and the magical elves that keep endlessly busy making toys and games for this very important yearly holiday known as Christmas.
In 1882, a dentist by the name of Clement Clarke Moore is believed to have written a poem “An Account of a Visit from Saint Nicholas” which is better known as the classic poem “The Night Before Christmas”. Santa is portrayed as an elf with a miniature sleigh equipped with the eight reindeer (Blitzem, Comet, Cupid, Dancer, Dasher, Dander, Prancer and Vixen). Santa was characterized in a bright red suit with a large black belt and a gentle face framed by a full, curly, white beard.
Over the years, the holiday and the Saint have taken on more of a commercialized image. Santa brings in the holiday season every year by traveling down from the North Pole on Thanksgiving Day to be the highlight of the Macy’s Day Parade in New York City. Children’s faces light up when they see him high above the crowd, a smile from ear to ear, on his huge sleigh waving to the crowds. He pays a visit to many department stores across the globe and listens to lists of items that children would like him to bring them. Interestingly enough, having the Santa setup to take pictures with children is a ritual dating all the back to 1918. Girls and boys can’t wait to write their wish lists and send to Santa through the mail. It has been proven that girls write longer and more polite lists than boys. They also have more requests for others.
As we glide into the future of technology, we are even able to track Santa’s route from the North Pole to all the children’s homes around the world on Christmas Eve right through the internet. Now there is even a brand new IPhone App, Elf Cam. Designed by Engineer Elves at the North Pole’s Connected Christmas Company, Elf Cam allows users to record night –vision video footage of Santa Claus climbing down the chimney in their own living room. This service provides a two-way communication tool for children to ask any Christmas questions that they might have and get answers directly from the elves.
Through this legend of Santa Claus, at this very special time of the year, we have become a universe of giving and caring individuals putting aside differences to love our neighbors and bring good cheer and glad tidings to our friends and families. Where would we be without the tradition of Santa Claus? May it live on forever and ever in the hearts of all for eternity.
Comments are closed.