About Santa Claus

The whole persona of Santa Claus is well etched out and is a very attractive icon of children. Christmas is a festivity most awaited by children and this has immensely helped in the survival of the legends of Saint Nicholas or Santa Claus and particularly his reputation as a bringer of gifts. The American version of St. Nicholas, or Santa Claus originally came from the Dutch version called Sint Klaas. The Dutch settlers in New York brought this fun and lively tradition to America.

The Persona
This version of Santa has given the current myth its visual form and some very curious traditions. A merry old man with red and white clothes, along with eight flying reindeer, which is later joined by Rudolph the red nosed reindeer. The home of Santa Clause is located on or near the North Pole and he is in habit of filling socks or stockings with presents on the night of December 24th. Santa Claus is also said to possess the habit of entering houses through the chimney.

The Transformation
The basis for the Santa Claus is Bishop Nicholas of Smyrna (Izmir), in what is now Turkey. Nicholas lived in the 4th century A.D. He was very rich, generous, and loving toward children. Often he gave joy to poor children by throwing gifts in through their windows. The modern day image of Santa Clause has been very much evolved and has attained a commercial status. But nonetheless this image has still preserved the essence of the old cult. Actually the old "cult" of Santa Claus incorporates many traditions: Christian and Pagan, Old Catholic, Scandinavian, Dutch, German and English.

The Real Saint Nicholas
Born to relatively affluent Christian parents in Patara, Saint Nicholas was at one time bishop of Myra, a town in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). Recognized for his great generosity, he is the real saint Nicholas. Santa Around the World
Santa around the world is recalled in a different versions. But the common facts related to him is that he is virtually omnipresent and can visit hundreds of millions of homes in one night. Multi-Culturism
Santa's Other Names: Santa clause is the most attractive representation of the Christmas occasion. Though the nature of Santa remains the same but the name of Santa changes with each region. Evolution of Modern Day Santa Clause
The present day Santa claus is variedly different from the one that originated. With changing time and culture, their has been an immense evolution of modern day Santa clause.