Who is Santa Claus?

WHO IS SANTA CLAUS?

Ho Ho Ho!!!

For all the kids’ world over Santa Claus is real…. But let me share a story with you that he was really real…. And this is the true story of Santa Claus.

Santa Claus, is also known as Saint Nicholas, is called Kris Kringle as well, or we could simply call him "Santa". He is a lovable figure in the western world and is said to bring gifts to the homes of the good children on Christmas eve.

By 1920 Santa Claus was generally depicted as a plump, jolly, white-bearded man wearing a red coat with white fur-trimmed collar and cuffs, white-cuffed red trousers, and black leather belt and boots—

This is Santa of the 20th century brought to life by works of popular illustrators….And this how we picture Santa today, living at The North Pole north, in a land of everlasting snow…. With his wife Mrs Claus, and a large number of magical elves, and at least eight or nine reindeers.

Wake up Santa.....The Sleigh is ready and waiting

Mrs Claus would wake up Santa on Christmas Eve and say...Be on your way Santa the children of the world are waiting for you.

This is the Santa of today….

Elves

Long long ago the true story was different. 

Born nearly 2000 years ago, not too long after the days of Jesus Christ, just about 3 centuries you could say, Nicholas was born to wealthy parents in a tiny village ‘Patara’ in Greece but it would be Turkey today.

Though Nicholas was a child born in a well to do house, he was raised a Christian and at a very young age was devoted to the faith

Nicholas' parents died while he was a little boy. He was lost and knew not what to do with himself or the fortune he inherited. He turned to his Bible and read the words that Christ gave to a wealthy man: "Sell all thou hath and give it to the poor and follow me".

Nicholas went to his village priest and expressed the desires of his heart. He wished to become a priest.

Patara Turkey

St Nicholas

Because he was an orphan, the priest took him in. And soon he found that Nicholas was no ordinary boy. Legend tells the story of a young Nicholas visiting the Holy Land with his village priest. On the return voyage, over stormy waters, their ship was cast about and all aboard feared for their lives.

 Nicholas prayed for the safety of the passengers and crew. The storm passed and the waters calmed. His faith amazed the people.

The village priest was fond of Nicholas. But he knew Nicholas lacked the education and the credentials necessary to become a priest. He would need a miracle if it was to happen.

 And a miracle is just what happened.

In the not too distant city of Myra, the Bishop of the church passed away and the powers that be of the church assembled to consider his replacement.

 The man considered wisest amongst them had a dream and was visited by an angel and he asked him…. "Who should the new Bishop be?”.

The angel said that all of you just wait by the door of the church and select the first person named Nicholas to walk through the doors.

St Nicholas ...Bishop of Myra

Nicholas had his miracle and was named the youngest bishop of the church ever on record.

As a young Bishop, Nicholas was plucky. And outspoken in his defence of the faith.

Nicholas was loved dearly by the people of Myra for his kindness especially to children. One such story became a legend that has survived for centuries. In his town where he was Bishop, Nicholas once gave an anonymous gift to a man with three daughters. The family was destitute of means. The custom of the time was that each daughter would need to be provided with a dowry in marriage. Because they were poor, the father of the three daughters was contemplating selling his children into slavery.

Nicholas heard of their plight and on a dark night soon after the eldest daughter came to marrying age, he tossed a small bag of gold through an open window …though some say he tossed it down the chimney. As the second daughter came of age he repeated the deed, again doing so anonymously.

As the third daughter came of age the father waited up nights to catch the gift-giver to express his gratitude. His persistence paid off as he caught Bishop Nicholas in the act.

This story is told in many lands, although some of the details change from one telling to another.

 Some say it was not bags of gold but rather balls of gold that Nicholas left.

 Some say he tossed them into the chimney where they landed in the hanging stockings or the drying shoes of the unmarried girls.

 That is why some, to remember this event, by celebrating Christmas with an orange in the toe of a stocking.

Nicholas was known for many such deeds. Miracles were attributed to the Bishop of Myra because of his great faith.

The reputation of Nicholas to spread. He became, over time, the patron saint of children and of innocents.

So famous did Nicholas become that no other name in the church, save Jesus and the Virgin Mary were so widely known or respected. More than 2000 churches in the Old World bore the name of Saint Nicholas. And his legend only grew as the centuries passed.

This is just the beginning of the story of Santa Claus. ……from the good Bishop of Myra to a man in red robes, a man with a long beard, and a man known for anonymous giving -- especially to children.

And Ho Ho Ho...Santa comes down the chimney even today bringing gifts for all the kids on his reindeer sleigh.

I would appreciate your feedback...Comments....etc


Thank You & SEASONS GREETINGS


DAARJI