St Nicholas, meet Santa Claus

Meant to do this blog before St Nicholas on 6 December, but exhaustion from over-enthusiastically helping Santa at Arley prevented it. Hope it doesn't diminish its interest - and it's still relevant to discover the origin and historical development of St Nicholas...St Nick...Santa Claus (which took several centuries).

The tradition of Saint Nicholas Day, usually on 6 December, is a festival for children in many countries in Europe related to surviving legends of the saint, and particularly his reputation as a bringer of gifts.

The American Santa Claus, as well as the Anglo-Canadian and British Father Christmas, derive from these legends.

"Santa Claus" is itself derived from the Dutch 'Sinterklaas'. The Sinterklaas feast celebrates the birthday of Saint Nicholas (280-342), patron saint of children. Saint Nicholas was a God of Myra in present-day Turkey.

Sinterklaas has a long white cape, wears a white bishop's dress and white mitre (bishop's hat), and holds a crosier, a long black coloured staff with a fancy curled top. He carries a big book with information about all the children, whether they have been good or naughty in the past year.

Traditionally, in the weeks between his arrival and the 5th of December, before going to bed children put their shoes next to the chimney of the coal fired stove or fireplace, or, in modern times, next to the central heating, with a carrot or some hay in it and a bowl of water "for Sinterklaas's horse," and sing a Sinterklaas song; the next day they will find some candy or a small present in their shoes, supposedly thrown down the chimney by Sinterklaas.

http://familyfeastandferia.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/reading-material-for-the-feast-of-st-nicholas/

http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=458

http://www.bridgnorth-anglican.org/