Saint Nicholas of Myra, a 4th century AD Christian bishop of Myra in Lycia, a province of Byzantine Anatolia, now in Turkey. Nicholas was famous for his generous gifts to the poor, in particular presenting the three impoverished daughters of a pious Christian with dowries so that they would not have to become prostitutes. He was born at Patara, province of Lycia, Asia Minor. He was very religious from an early age and devoted his life entirely to Christianity. In Europe (more precisely the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and Germany) he is still portrayed as a bearded bishop in canonical robes. The relics of St. Nicholas were transported to Bari in southern Italy by some enterprising Italian merchants; a basilica was constructed in 1087 to house them and the area became a pilgrimage site for the devout. Saint Nicholas became revered by many as the patron saint of seamen, merchants, archers, children, prostitutes, pharmacists, lawyers, pawnbrokers, prisoners, the city of Amsterdam and of Russia. In Greece, Saint Nicholas is sometimes substituted for Saint Basil (Agios Vasilis in Greek), a 4th century AD bishop from Caesarea. Also, a few villages in West Flanders, Belgium, celebrate a near identical figure, Sint-Maarten
2006-08-10 13:16:54
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answer #1
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answered by ~mary~ 3
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Santa Claus is a variation of a European folk tale based on the historical figure Saint Nicholas, a bishop from the region that is now present-day Turkey, who gave presents to the poor. This inspired the mythical figure of Sinterklaas, the subject of a major celebration in the Netherlands and Belgium, Germany (where his alleged date of death, December 6, is celebrated the evening before on December 5), which in turn inspired both the myth and the name of Santa Claus (actually a mispronunciation of the Dutch word "Sinterklaas" by the English settlers of New Amsterdam (later renamed New York)), in those countries Saint Nicholas is celebrated as a distinct character with a religious touch, Santa Claus is also celebrated on Christmas eve.
2006-08-10 09:30:21
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answer #2
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answered by Danzarth 4
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Originally based on St. Nicholas. Our modern concept actually originated from Coca Cola ads. Really. Before Coke, Santa was a dwarf.
2006-08-10 09:29:57
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answer #3
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answered by Anonymous
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Santa Maria
2006-08-10 09:29:45
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answer #4
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answered by RACQUEL 7
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Santa Clause is a Hybrid Urban Legend that was ironically created by the Church who rallies angrilly against Christmas fanfare today.
The most popular ancient Santas were a Germanic Demon named Krampus who would simply beat the crap out of bad children every Winter Solstice and kidnap them in a big sack if they were really bad, and the Norse God Odin who went hunting each Yule and left gifts to children who left horse food for his mount by their hearth, however Herne God of the Hunt, taking the mantle of Odin in Pagan Eurpoe also took simular Yule rides rewarding only good children during his hunt.
The Roman Catholic church, looking for converts sent Saint Peter to Germany at some point in the middle ages. Peter managed to defeat Krampus and forced him to make amends to the children he harmed by leaving them gifts on the day of Jesus's birth (Which had been moved to just before the Solstice). Because old Habits died hard the German peoples also had Black Peter, a moor who would beat children with a stick if on the Jesus's birthday if they didn't behave. The German people were so greatful that they promptly confused Saint Peter with Saint Nicholas, an honest mistake given their newness to Christianity and the confusion surrounding their conversion.
Simulataniously in the Netherlands there arose a figure named Kris Kringle whom by most accounts lived and breathed. Kris was a kindly man who celebrated the birth of Jesus by giving children toys made of wood, his gifts required no horse feed and he became quite the man about northern Europe, somehow becomming known as far south as Spain. Kris also had a wierd thing for Fir Trees, no idea why..
There are some other bit players. A Gnome who road a goat from eastern Europe who left baked goods and candies for children who made it to the end of the harvest without pissing their parents off, he also had a stick for the bad kids. There was a guy who wore animal furs in Germany who would crawl down your chiminy and kidnap you in a big bag (Those freakin Germans man!) And all around the world there was Old Man winter who didn't really give gifts but he got around a lot around the Solstice and he had a white beard.
This situation didn't get much clearer as Kris, Nickolas, The Gnome and even Odin and Herne were leaving presents and doing wierd stuff with chimineys most of the way through the Renesance, where we get most of the early pictures of Santa.
The Dutch, wanting a bit of the old and the new at the same time started seeing a woodcarver and choclatier named Sinterklaas because they liked how 'Saint Nicolas' sounded but didn't want their folk hero to be too Churchy.
Just after this there was a foundling Country run by gun nuts who hated people telling them what to do. They were also looking for something to do in the winter becuase they had cut ties with all their traditional practices and didn't like the indian winter traditions (Which oddly enough had gift giving too) So they borrowed Sinterlass, only they didn't speak dutch so well so they called him Santa Claus, save the Northern Eropean Immagrants who know that the guy who left wooden trains on Jesus's Birthday was really named Kris Kringle and that silent Minority who believed he was a little guy who rode a Goat. Santa was a Big man as most of the Dutch liked to paint him with a big white Old Man Winter beard who wore green furs and had some kind of four-legged animal with horns that helped him carry his big sack. Depending on how big big Santa Clause was the animal looked like a moose or perhaps a Reindeer.
It was in the 20th Century, when an adman named Haddon Sundblom was looking for a way to sell refreshing Coca-cola in the wintertime, that he solited Santa Claus to become the company's spokesman and gave him a nice Coca-Cola red suit and a whole team of Reindeer to pull his Coke sled of refreshing coke with. With the international spread of Coca-Cola the Santa the red soon dominated the Santa Clause myth.
Merry Christmas whatever you believe
2006-08-10 10:35:09
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answer #5
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answered by W0LF 5
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There was a man named St. Nicholas of Myra in the 4th century who gave gifts away. He was the inspiration for Sinterklaus in the Netherlands and Nikolaus inGermany As for the fat man in a red suit I have no idea how it came to ivolve into that. Where did the tooth fairy originate?
2006-08-10 09:52:59
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answer #6
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answered by Anonymous
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there was once a bishop in the middle east who was
very good and loving to all his flock. he was believed to
have been the source of several gifts that helped out
in times of great need. when he died he was so missed
that some of his flock started doing the same thing in
secret. when others mentioned the gift the donor would
say "it must have been the saint nicholas". it wasn't until
later that others took up the tradition and attached it to
christmas.
2006-08-10 09:35:05
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answer #7
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answered by Anonymous
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Probably from the generosity of St. Nicholas. It is this giving attitude that spun the mythical "Santa".
2006-08-10 09:30:08
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answer #8
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answered by WC 7
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Saint Nicholas was an actual person, he apparently had supernatural abilities I believe.
For example, he literally mended eviscerated children back together, and they were able to live again..
Among other things, he also gave out gifts..
2006-08-10 09:31:48
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answer #9
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answered by Anonymous
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Search St. Nick.
2006-08-10 09:29:34
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answer #10
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answered by hpneil 4
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