The origins of Sinterklaas can be found in the stories of St Nicholas, a 4th-century Greek bishop from Myra, now in modern-day Turkey. St Nicholas was credited with a wide variety of miracles.
The story behind Santa goes back to the third century during the time of St. Nicholas, a monk, even though some sources state that he was a bishop. Nicholas was born around 280 A.D. in Patara, in modern-day Turkey.
But one country may be one step closer to declaring itself Santa Claus' official home. St Nicholas, the generous medieval Christian saint believed to be the inspiration behind the modern-day Santa Claus, was bishop of the small Roman town of Myra in the 4th Century in what is now Turkey.
He is popularly associated with a deep, hearty laugh, frequently rendered in Christmas literature as "ho, ho, ho!" This image originated in the United States during the 19th century, after Dutch settlers brought the legend of Sinterklaas ("Saint Nicholas") to 17th-century New Amsterdam (present-day New York City).
The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara in Asia Minor. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young.
What Santa Claus Looks Like In Different Countries
Is Santa Claus American or British?
The English Father Christmas was now Santa Claus in all but name. Despite being invented by New Yorkers hankering after old Dutch traditions, Santa was exactly the kind of hero the Victorians needed for their new, family-friendly Christmas.
The Santa Claus that we know lives in the North Pole. According to some North American sources, his original name was Kris Kringle before he changed his name to Santa Claus. Kris Kringle was a toymaker who married Jessica. Other names found for Mrs Claus are Mary Christmas, Gertrude, and Carol.
Lapland, encompassing Finland, Sweden, Norway and northern Russia is home to the Sami people as well as Santa in Finnish Lapland. So Santa must be able to not only speak Finnish but possibly Norwegian, Swedish and Russian. Santa is also linked to the Norse god Odin.
Nicholas. He was the Bishop of Myra in the 4th century and his traditional robes were red and white. Nicholas was known for his generosity and kindness towards children. Some historians argue that he originally dressed in different colors, but after he passed away, his legend grew—including his scarlet apparel.
Santa's home at the North Pole lies in an area between Russia, Norway, Canada, the United States, and Denmark. However, a couple years ago, Canada declared (for a bunch of reasons) that St. Nick is legally considered to be Canadian.
Sullivan Chair in Catholic Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, said depictions of Santa Claus as a white man came about mainly because he was a European import, a blend of the Dutch Sinterklaas and British folklore character Father Christmas, with elements of Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century Greek bishop in ...
Saint Nicholas, who is known worldwide as Santa Claus, was born in the ancient Lycian city of Patara, an important city on the Mediterranean coast of Türkiye. Around 300 AD, during a prosperous era for Patara, a rich wheat merchant had a son and named him Nicholas.
Santa Claus' origins date back to about 280 A.D. when St. Nicholas was born, the History Channel reports. This would make Santa approximately 1,744 years old today.
Santa usually starts at the International Date Line in the Pacific Ocean and travels west. So, historically, Santa visits the South Pacific first, then New Zealand and Australia.
Santa Claus hails from Finland's mysterious Korvatunturi (“Ear Fell”) in Lapland. But you can meet him in Rovaniemi, the official hometown of Santa, on any day of the year.
When people think of Santa's voice and what he says, we can't help but imagine of his famous catchphrase, "Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas!" We know what Merry Christmas means, but what does he mean when he says "ho ho ho"? In truth, "ho ho ho" doesn't mean anything. It's actually just the sound of Santa Claus's laughter.
The English folk figure "Father Christmas" originally wore green robes which eventually turned red over time. This was mainly due to St Nicholas, whose legend modern portrayals of Father Christmas are based on, often appearing in paintings and illustrations wearing red-coloured robes.
He is based on St. Nicholas of Myra, who, according to Christian tradition, was a bishop in that small Roman town during the 4th century. Nicholas's reputation for generosity and kindness gave rise to legends of miracles he performed for the poor and unhappy.
According to Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (19th edn, 2012), Father Christmas is considered to be "[a] British rather than a US name for Santa Claus, associating him specifically with Christmas.
Notes: Santa Claus's original name is Saint Nicholas. The name Saint Nicholas comes from a patron saint who was known for giving gifts to the poor. The Dutch pronunciation of Saint Nicholas is "Sinterklaas".
The original Saint Nicholas lived in what is modern-day Turkey. Saint Nick gets his name from a Greek Orthodox bishop who lived in Myra, 4th century AD . He was known for his acts of generosity and his deep love of children.
Nicolas, the original Santa Clause, does not roam the night alone. He has his partner Krampus giving out punishment to those who have behaved badly during the year. Krampus most likely originated from Austria derived from pagan beliefs. He was later adapted to Christian beliefs symbolizing the devil himself.
Does Santa have any children? Although Santa and Mrs Claus almost never have children in any of their many depictions, there is at least one Christmas Burlesque musical from 1892 that features Kitty Claus, the daughter of Santa. Funnily enough, we find a few mentions of Kitty in our newspaper collection.
Originally, Scott was an advertising executive for a toy company. At the time of the first film, he is divorced from his ex-wife, Laura, with whom he had one son, Charlie. He was initially cynical in regards to Christmas but was willing to reassure his son about his belief.
