Thursday, October 1, 2026
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United States (WNN) - Everyone is familiar with Santa Claus and can describe his iconic look perfectly; yet, the origins of the jolly old soul are not as well-known. Children all over the world look forward to one day every year more than any other.
Santa and a reindeer
Joe Shuster
Ask any child what their favorite day is, and you can almost guarantee their answer will be Christmas. Ask them why, and they probably say Santa! A big part of the magic of Christmas for kids is the anticipation of Santa Claus arriving on Christmas Eve and then waking on Christmas morning to find stockings full of goodies and presents under the tree.
If your family celebrates Christmas, chances are good that you have childhood memories of the agonizing wait for December 25th to finally arrive and the excitement of racing to the tree to discover if the items you placed on your list in your letter to Santa will be there. Just who is this man known and loved by millions worldwide, and where did he come from?
At a very young age, Nicholas was orphaned and was left with a large inheritance. He chose to use his wealth to help the needy. He is a historical figure who lived during the 4th century. He was known for his profound Christian faith and generosity fueled by his extraordinary compassion for the poor and needy.
Saint Nicholas
Wikipedia
Nicholas would become a Greek Bishop in Myra (modern-day Turkey). His generosity continued throughout his lifetime. Due to his secret gift-giving and generosity, when he was recognized as a Saint, he was acclaimed as the patron and protector of children. Legend has it that he saved three sisters from a poor family from being sold into slavery. The story goes that he secretly gifted them gold that fell into their stockings, and they were able to use the gold as a dowry, thus enabling them to get married.
Saint Nicholas' feast day was held on December 6th and became a day for gift-giving in many European cultures. Children would often leave shoes out in hopes that Saint Nicholas would fill them with chocolates and gifts. Tradition states that parades were held where he was accompanied by donkeys passing through with baskets loaded with biscuits and sweets for the kids.
In Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and northern France, Saint Nicholas was known as Sinterklaas. He was said to have had a long white beard and wore a red cape over a bishop's garment, which was very similar to what the real Saint Nicholas had worn. One difference was that Sinter Klaas carried with him a big red book. This book contained the names of children, and it denoted whether they had been naughty or nice during the year.
Actor Bram Van Der Vlugt portraying Sinter Klaas.
Wikipedia
During the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, the celebration of Saint Nicholas evolved once again. Martin Luther feared that saints were beginning to develop a cult like following and discouraged the veneration of saints. The feast of Saint Nicholas was a casualty of this action.
As a solution, the clergy urged Protestant parents to give gifts on Christmas Eve to more closely align with the observance of Jesus' birth. Although many of the parents complied with the new date, they kept Saint Nicholas and Sinter Klaas as the face of the gift-giving tradition.
This held true for many of the various Christian denominations. Eventually, England would introduce Father Christmas, a bearded figure who gave gifts to children and embodied the spirit of holiday cheer.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the British colonies began to be established in America. The European immigrants brought with them all the stories and traditions of Saint Nicholas, Sinter Klaas, and Father Christmas.
The Dutch settlers had reverted to Sinter Klaas, bringing gifts on the night of December 5th. He was now reported to ride a white horse as he delivered his gifts. The settlers had brought their traditions from their respective countries, and eventually, the stories began to merge. Around 1773, the Dutch Sinter Klaas became Santa Claus.
In 1823, Clement Clarke Moore wrote a poem, "A Visit from Saint Nicholas", which is also known by its more famous name, "'Twas the Night Before Christmas". His poem would create and popularize the idea of a jolly, plump man in a red suit riding in a flying sleigh pulled by reindeer, which used the chimney as its entry to deliver gifts. Thomas Nast was a 19th-century cartoonist who drew Santa for Harper's Weekly Magazine.
He is credited with reinforcing the image of the red suit and white beard, along with adding the North Pole workshop. In the 1930s, Coca-Cola ads by Haddon Sundblom further immortalized the iconic image of Santa Claus.
Santa Claus
Joe Shuster
In just a few nights, on Christmas Eve, kids will leave cookies and milk for Santa Claus. Some will even leave a carrot or two for the reindeer. There will be very little sleep that night due to the excitement of Christmas finally arriving.
More than a few kids will try to catch a glimpse of Santa in action; he is crafty and has yet to be seen. That's a good thing; it keeps magic and mystery alive. As the kids dive under the tree to retrieve their treasures, mom and dad will finally be able to breathe for a moment.
Santa Claus
Joe Shuster
The squeals of excitement and joy from their kids will remind them that everything leading up to this magical day was well worth it. This year, we will all have a better understanding of who this man is that we call Santa Claus. Now we better understand his history of spreading holiday cheer through the giving of gifts. He so eloquently stated centuries ago, "Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!"
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