ST. NICHOLAS…SANTA CLAUS

December 18th, 2008 at 10:57am Regina

The concept of the American Santa Claus originated with St. Nicholas, who was born in Asia Minor in 280 A.D. He was known as a kind, benevolent man; indeed made a saint because of his generosity. In honor of St. Nicholas, December 6 became the traditional day in Europe for the exchange of Christmas gifts and the beginning of the holiday season. Dutch immigrants to the United States brought with them their version of the gift-giving St. Nicholas, known as Sinter Klass. Americans, unaccustomed to the Dutch pronunciation, turned this into “Santa Claus”, who is beloved as a symbol of Christmas by children of all ages.

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