Who Is Santa Claus?
Do you know who Santa is and if he is real or not real?
What did he look like and
does he have a place in the lives of Christians?
The story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, (who was called, Nikolaos of Myra) was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was part of Greece and but todays maps place it on the southern coast of Turkey. This would make Nicholas, Turkish and from the Middle East.
Born to wealthy parents, Nicholas was still young when they died. As a Christian, he followed Jesus' words and dedicated his life to the service others. Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors without a home.
During this time many Christians were persecuted since this was a Roman territory. With his known generosity and very public preaching of the Word, Nicholas soon found himself imprisoned by Roman edict under Diocletian. (Dioclerianic Persecution, or the great persection was the most serve toutuer done to Christians by any of the Roman Emperors) However things were changing in the Emperor, he was released and them called upon by the next Emperor, Constantine, to attended the Council of Nicaea in AD 325.
Many of the stories of what he did, over time became more legend than truth. This was due inpart to Nicholas humility and not wanting the glory for himself. This embellishing of Nicholas' life left many reformers leaving him behind during the reformation. Although his teaching were documented in chuch records, of his great faith, this left all but one European country, Holland, with any knowledge of him.
The legend of Nicholis continued as Sinterklass in Holland as the gift giver, which became Santa Claus.
Although Martin Luther tried to refocus this "gift giver" legends onto Christ, the giver of life. This celebration (in German) Christkindl became over the years repronounced Kriss Kringle, just another name for Santa Claus.
So how did he get here from Europe and look like what is on a Hallmark Christmas Card?
Like so many things in the US and Canada, the legend was carred on by the immigrants. The first celebrations can be traced to New York and settled by the Dutch from Holland. This soon was followed by other gift giving myths, such as Father Christmas from England.
It was shortly after the Revolutionary War, in 1809, Washington Irving wrote about Saint Nicholas and the Dutch custom of Sinterklass. This was part of an article on the History of New York, which included an illustration by artist Alexander Anderson. In this drawing, it is Saint Nicholas who is giving gifts by filling the stockings of children hung by the fireplace. It also depicts a good child getting good treats, as a bad one receaving what looks like sticks ans rocks.
In 1822 a professor of Biblican Languages from New York wrote a poem for his own children for Christmas, A Visit From Saint Nicholas. Clement Moore did not know that it would go on to become, The Night Before Christmas, which was published 1893 anonymously in the Troy Sentinel. Today this is the best known story about Santa Claus.
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As more and more time went on the legend grew. taking on it's own North American flavor. Thomas Nast a cartoonist and writer for Harper's Weekly, during the time of the American Civil War, added his own views of Santa Claus. It was Nast, that gave Santa a workshop at the North Pole with elves, building toys. He also gave us the book with the naught and nice children written in it. The picture to the left is one of Nast's most famous depictions of Mr.Claus.
In 1902, L. Frank Baum the author the Wizard of OZ, also added to the Santa Claus myth. His book was called, The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus. As you can see from the cover, Santa was not in his "Red" suit.
At this time Santa did not always have a red suit or even the white fur trim we have come to know. Many time he was depicted in suits of different colors, green, blue, and even purple, much like the vestments of a church leader.
Some of the Christmas Cards from Pre-World Wars reflect this.
Santa Claus just another advetising image?
No other publication influenced North American in the 20th century more then the Saturday Evening Post and it's artwork by Norman Rockwell. It was Rockwell that started depicting Santa with more of a suit, rather then a vestment like garb. He also gave Santa his red suit but darker then the color most associated with him today. This was the image of Santa, white like middle America, in non-religious clothing as to not offend the Protestant or the Catholic. Simply the All-American icon of Christmas.
How about Coca Coke? Coke just made the icon of todays Santa stick. Along with Rockwell's images of the All-American Santa, Coke gave him, his final tweek. Just about the same time as Rockwell, starting in the 1930's, the Swedish painter Haddon Sundblom was hired for a Christmas advertising campaign by the Coca-Cola Company. The Coca-Cola Company had a dress code however for Santa Claus, he was to be dressed in the official brand's colors of red-and-white. Ever since those ads started in the Saturday Evening Post, Santa's suits has been the bright red with white fur trim, same as the Coca-Cola logo.
So Saint Nicholas was a real Christian leader in the 3rd century. He came from what is today, Turkey and most likely had dark skin. He gave to the poor and homeless, spreeding the Gospel.
I think it is time to take back the real Nicholas and act as him, a reflection of Christ's goodness and mercy. At this time of the year, Christmas, (that is another story for another time) why don't we reflect Christ into this World. Be like Nicholas, give without reward or notoriety, not expecting anything in return for yourself.
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