Which country is traditionally considered the birthplace of Santa Claus?
Based on historical and mythological origins, Turkey is considered the birthplace of the figure that inspired Santa Claus, while Finland is popularly regarded as his modern home.
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.
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. According to one story, he resurrected three youths after they'd been murdered and pickled in a barrel by an innkeeper.
Which country is the official home of Santa Claus?
Santa Claus originates from Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century Greek Christian bishop born in Patara, in modern-day Turkey, known for his generosity, with the modern figure evolving through Dutch (Sinterklaas) and American traditions into the jolly character we know today. While the historical figure is Turkish, the popular image of Santa as living at the North Pole with elves developed much later in America and Europe.
Santa Claus is a popular man and one of the most famous holiday figures, however, many people don't know that the tradition of Santa Claus started in Turkey. Santa Claus was actually formed from a man named Nicholas of Myra, who was later lifted to sainthood gaining the name Saint Nicholas.
Saint Nicholas was born around 280AD in Patara, in what is today Turkey. He was extremely religious and generous from a young age and later became the bishop of the small village of Myra. Saint Nicholas gave away all his inherited wealth and travelled the countryside helping the poor and sick.
It wasn't until the Victorian era of Christmas celebrations that he became a bringer of gifts in the UK. This was mainly due to the influence of the popular American character of Santa Claus that is attributed to Dutch mythology, and Father Christmas began to slowly take on similar attributes.
In Iceland we open the presents on Christmas eve and have 13 Santa Clauses that visit the children. The first one arrives 13 nights before Christmas, the children put their shoes in the window and the santa puts a little present or a treat in their shoe (or a potato if they've been naughty).
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.
Saint Nicholas was a 4th Century Greek Bishop who wore red and white robes and gave gifts to the poor, especially children. After his death, the legend of him continued and he is still celebrated in some countries on December 6th, known as St. Nicholas Day.
So, historically, Santa visits the South Pacific first, then New Zealand and Australia. After that, he shoots up to Japan, over to Asia, across to Africa, then onto Western Europe, Canada, the United States, Mexico and Central and South America.
As with every country having their version and different names for Father Christmas, there is a debate on where Father Christmas lives. Norwegians believe his home is in Drobak, the Danish believe it's Greenland, for USA and Canada it's the North Pole, whilst Brits and Finns consider Lapland as his home.
The story of him living in Lapland existed already in the 19th century, but as someone said, the children's radio programme in the 1920s popularized the idea of him living in Korvatunturi (the name of his home means ”ear fell” so he could apparently hear the children).
Located in the Arctic Circle, the Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi is known as “Santa's official North Pole residence” and is one of the most popular travel destinations in Finland. The village is open year-round for kids of all ages to see Santa and his elves.
Santa Claus originates from Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century Greek Christian bishop born in Patara, in modern-day Turkey, known for his generosity, with the modern figure evolving through Dutch (Sinterklaas) and American traditions into the jolly character we know today. While the historical figure is Turkish, the popular image of Santa as living at the North Pole with elves developed much later in America and Europe.
Supported by his Puritan forces, Cromwell believed it was his mission to cleanse the country of decadence. In 1644 he enforced an Act of Parliament banning Christmas celebrations. Christmas was regarded by the Puritans as a wasteful festival that threatened core Christian beliefs.
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.
Saint Nicholas, aka Santa Claus, was born circa 280 in Patara, Lycia, an area that is part of present-day Turkey. He lost both of his parents as a young man and reportedly used his inheritance to help the poor and sick. A devout Christian, he later served as bishop of Myra, a city that is now called Demre.
In 1881, political cartoonist Thomas Nast drew on Moore's poem to create the first likeness that matches our modern image of Santa Claus. His cartoon, which appeared in Harper's Weekly, depicted Santa as a rotund, cheerful man with a full white beard, holding a sack laden with toys for lucky children.
Sinterklaas (Dutch: [ˌsɪntərˈklaːs]) or Sint-Nicolaas ( Dutch: [sɪnt ˈnikoːlaːs]) is a legendary figure based on Saint Nicholas, patron saint of children.
Saint Nicholas of Myra (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also known as Nicholas of Bari, was an early Christian bishop of Greek descent from the maritime city of Patara in Anatolia (in modern-day Antalya Province, Turkey) during the time of the Roman Empire.
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 ...
