The Truth About Santa Claus
Growing up with the last name of Claus, Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. To this day people relate my last name to “Santa Claus,” and ask if the jolly fat man in a red suit is any relation to me. Funny thing though, that is how people know St. Nick. If you ask any child or adult to describe Santa, they will say just that. A jolly fat man with a red suit, elves and eight tiny reindeer. He comes to the good little girls and boys on Christmas Eve and brings toys to them. Don’t think it’s true? Well think again.
Yes, that is right: I said think again, and like the movie states “Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus.” But not how you would think exactly. The story of Santa as we know it was actually invented in the late 1600s and derived from the Dutch legend of “Sinter Klaas.” The modern spelling of the name came from a misprint in a 1773 newspaper when his name was published as “St. A Claus.” In later publications his name was changed to Santa Claus, and he was also referred to as Chris Kringle. He was even given his original look from writings by Washington Irving in the 1800’s.
The basis for the stories, and the reference to “St. Nick,” however, is not a legend. These stories were based on a real Christian bishop named Nicholas of Smyrna. Nicholas lived in a town with many poor children. His love for children and mankind would not allow him to see these poor children starving and going without the enjoyment of toys. He would use his own money to buy food, clothing and toys for them. Nicholas did not want them to be embarrassed and teased by others for the gifts he was giving so he would do it in secrecy. Thus the myth that Santa will not come while you are awake.
St. Nick, however, did not always deliver presents on Christmas Eve. Legend tells us that while St. Nick would deliver these gifts, he would also preach about Jesus and what a wonderful man he is. This is why people now associate St. Nick with the Christmas holiday.
Now, whenever you hear someone say, “There’s no such thing as Santa Claus,” you can just look at him or her and say, “Oh, yes there is. And Mr. Claus told me so!”
Still don’t believe there is a Santa Claus? Then take a drive to your local video store and pick up the movie mentioned in this Article, “Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.” Then gather your family and sit down together for a nice family evening and view this wonderful picture. This, too, is based on the true-life letter that a very confused 8-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon wrote to the editor of the New York Sun around 1897, after her friends told her that Santa Claus did not exist.
