One of the biggest icons of Christmas is Santa Claus, and when you’re a child, you are especially interested in being a good boy or girl in order to earn a place on the nice list. But where does the tradition of a man in a red suit delivering presents actually come from?
St. Nicholas
Like most traditions and legends, the person our beloved Santa Claus is based on was a real person. St. Nicholas lived during the fourth century and was a Bishop. Due to his kindness, he often helped the poor and gave gifts to people who most needed it. It was for these reasons that he was made a Saint of children.
How did he become Santa?
Over the years, the stories of St. Nicholas became more unpopular due to various religious events within the Church, but the idea of a person delivering presents was still desired so his name was fashioned into something else. It started with ‘Father Christmas’ or ‘St Christmas’ in the UK, and the USA followed with ‘Kris Kingle’.
The name ‘Santa Claus’ itself comes from ‘Sinterklaas’ which is what the Dutch in America called him when they settled there, bringing their own versions of St. Nicholas’ stories.
Misconceptions
There are a lot of misconceptions about Santa and, in particular, where his red suit comes from. Contrary to popular belief, the red suit is a reflection of the red robes the real St. Nicholas would have worn as a bishop, which could explain why nowadays a lot of our Christmas decorations are red!
