Where does Santa come from?
Where does the legend of the round man in the red suit come from? Well hundreds of years ago there was a monk named St Nicholas.
Ever wondered where the idea of Santa Claus originated?
Well, according to the History Channel’s website, the legend can be traced back hundreds of years to a monk named St Nicholas.
He was so admired for his kindness and beliefs that he became the subject of many legends. It is said that he gave away his wealth and travelled around helping those less fortunate.
As the years went on his popularity grew and he became known as the protector of children and sailors.
His feast day is celebrated on the day of his death, December 6. The day was also believed to be a lucky day, especially for large purchases or marriages.
He was one of the most popular saints, especially in Holland.
The legend of St Nick made its way to America at the end of the 18th century and in December 1773 and 1774 newspapers reported on Dutch families honouring the anniversary of his death.
The name Santa Claus then evolved from St Nick’s Dutch name, which was Sinter Klaas, or Sint Nikolaas. Over the years Santa Claus was mentioned and images of him distributed.
As his legend grew, he was variously described as a ‘rascal’ with a three-cornered blue hat, red waistcoat and yellow stockings, and a man wearing a broad-brimmed hat and a ‘huge pair of Flemish trunk hose’.
In the early 19th century, the Christmas holiday was rejuvenated. It was centred around children and by the 1840s, newspapers had separate sections for holiday advertisements and these featured the newly-popular Santa Claus.
After that, real Santa Clauses were spotted in shopping malls at an increasing rate. Children could now meet him and sit on his lap. Even the Salvation Army started dressing up unemployed men and sending them out looking for donations.
And, in 1822, Clement Clarke Moore, an Episcopalian minister wrote a Christmas poem for his three children. The poem was called An account of a visit from St Nicholas. Although he was sceptical about publishing his poem, in the end that was how the modern legend of Santa Claus came to be, as Moore gave Santa his red suit with white trimmings, elves, reindeer and the ability to travel the world in one night.
