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Santa facts

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Santa facts

Santa facts

  • The idea of Santa Claus as a gift-giver is based on Saint Nicholas, a real 4th century bishop who lived in Myra, in what would now be Turkey. Wearing long red robes, he rode on a donkey and handed out gifts to delighted children. After his death he became the patron saint of children and the anniversary of his death, 6 December, became the 'Feast of Saint Nicholas' - a day to exchange gifts.

  • During the 16th century Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther banned the venerating of saints, and the 'Feast of Saint Nicholas' was abolished in some European countries. This led to the festivities being merged with Christmas and Saint Nick took on new forms, such as our Father Christmas and the Dutch Sinterklaas.

  • When the Dutch emigrated to America they took Sinterklaas celebrations with them. In 1808, author Washington Irving described Sinterklaas as a rotund little man in knee breeches and a broad brimmed hat, who smokes a pipe and drops 'gifts down the chimneys of his favourites' from a horse-drawn wagon. His name then evolved into Santa Claus.

  • In 1822, Clement Clarke Moore wrote the poem 'The Night Before Christmas (A Visit from Saint Nicholas)' in which Santa was first known to climb down the chimney to deliver gifts. Here, Santa was depicted as a 'jolly old elf' covered in soot who arrives on a miniature sleigh pulled by eight tiny reindeer.

  • In the 1860s, Thomas Nast first depicted Santa as a portly old man wearing a red suit with a leather belt in his illustrations for Harper's Weekly. Nast was asked by Abraham Lincoln to do an illustration of Santa with the Union troops. Seeing Santa side with the North proved highly demoralising for the Confederate army.

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