Santa Claus
Every child knows who Santa Claus is! Today Santa is
sometimes seen as the purveyor of crass commercialism, but that is not
Santa's true business.
The original 'Santa Claus' can be found in St. Nicholas.
Saint
Nicholas was born in Myra,
Turkey sometime between 245 AD and 280 AD. He was born the son of wealthy
parents, but he became a priest and was eventually named the Bishop of
Demre.
St.
Nicholas was known for his generosity and gift giving and became the
patron saint of children. Children in Germany have long known Saint
Nicholas and his helper brought gifts on St. Nicholas Day, December
6.
Clement
C. Moore was an author who took the legend of Saint Nicholas
and turned it into a poem that virtually created our modern day conception
of Santa Claus. Moore's Santa "dressed all in fur" and "held the stump
of a pipe tight in his teeth." This man was jolly and giving and "A
Visit From St. Nicholas" soon became a classic Christmas story enjoyed
by children world-wide.
Santa Claus is known around the world by many names: Saint
Nicholas, Kris
Kringle, and Father
Christmas, to just name a few. It is good to remember, however, that
this enduring legend isn't about greed it is about generosity of spirit
and love for your fellow man. What better time to think about generosity
than at the time we celebrate Jesus' birth. |
