WHO IS SANTA CLAUS?

While growing up as a child, I always heard the name “Father Christmas” often associated with the season of Christmas. Santa Claus is popularly known by many as Father Christmas but most can’t really say where Santa comes from or how the name “Santa Claus” came to be. Any kid would tell you that Santa Claus comes from the North-Pole, perhaps because the North-Pole is often cold and frozen as well as the Christmas season. Is He real or just a fairy tale often used to make kids excited during Christmas? This post is about to clear your doubts, stay glued #SMILES.

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Santa Claus is the English form of the Dutch name St. Nicholas Sinterklaas which was the name of a monk who was born sometime around 280 A.D in Patara, near Myra in the modern-day Turkey. St. Nicholas was born in the 3rd century to very wealthy Christian parents, devoted believers who had long prayed and waited for a child. When St. Nicholas was born, his parents dedicated him to God as an only child and showered him with so much love and affection making him lack absolutely nothing.

St. Nicholas
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St. Nicholas lost his parents to a plague that struck his city as a teenager. Though a loss of this magnitude should have turned him away from God, it seemed to bring him closer to God as he began to develop tender hearts to the suffering of others.

St. Nicholas was left with a whole lot of inheritance by his parents and he decided to use it to honour God. He was a good young man who feared and reverenced God and due to his reputation, he was chosen as Archbishop Myra in his early 20s.

St. Nicholas died on December 6, 343 A.D, and after his death, a tradition of gift given begun in honour of a man who was known for giving a generosity, St. Nicholas. St. Nicholas day is still observed in many countries till date, but in others, including Nigeria, the practices associated with that day has been combined with Christmas which makes Christmas prominent for both the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ and the giving of gifts.

Santa Claus (St. Nicholas Sinterklaas) is often seen as a plump white bearded man but in the actual sense, he was slim. The red outfit often associated with Santa was the colour of robe worn by the Archbishop St. Nicholas.
Christmas is a day we gather to celebrate the birth of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ but as we do so, let’s characterise that day with the giving of gifts as we remember the devoted Christian St. Nicholas.

Merry Christmas in advance!

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