The History of Santa Claus

Did you ever wonder what the history was behind the man with the candy red suit, coal black boots, snow white beard and cherry red cap? How about entering through chimneys while making his deliveries? Have you ever thought about all the references to Santa and their origins - Saint Nicholas, Kris Kringle, Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Sinterklaas and Papa Noel?


Apparently, there is a long history for Santa dating back to the 4th Century. In Greece, St. Nicholas of Myra, bishop of Lycia (now Demre) was known for his generous gifts to the poor. There are tales of St. Nicholas of Myra tossing coins through open windows. When a window was closed, he would toss the coins in the chimney. This may have led to the idea of Santa entering homes through the chimney. In Germany, Odin was recorded to lead hunting parties in the sky during the native Germanic holiday of Yule. Odin paralleled the image of Santa Claus with his long white beard and his mighty horse leaping great distances similar to the present-day reindeer. Children would place their boots near the chimney. The boots were filled with carrots, straw or sugar for his horse to eat. Odin would reward the children by replacing the food with gifts and candy. The practice continued in Belgium, Netherlands and Germany. Eventually, the boots were replaced with stockings hung at the chimney of homes. The stocking tradition came to the United States from the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam. The tradition evolved into hanging the stockings at the fireplace.


St. Nick was also referred to as an elf in the famous poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" known today as "The Night Before Christmas" by Clement Clark Moore. Published in December 1823, the poem contributed to what we know Santa Claus to be today riding in a sleigh, landing on a roof and delivering a sack full of toys through a chimney. However, the modern image of Kris Kringle came from Thomas Nast's cartoonist illustration in a 1863 Harper's Weekly. The image of Santa Claus became more popular with the Coca-Cola advertisements in the 1930s.


St. Nick has a deep tradition within many countries around the world whether religious or folklore. The United States adopted many traditions from different countries as their cultures were introduced to America. The Americanization and commercialization of Santa didn't come until the late 1800s and early 1900s. Kris Kringle is absolutely synonymous with the holiday season. What would the season be without St. Nicholas?


Santa will be coming down one of Graylyn's chimneys on Sunday, December 13 and Saturday, December 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Call 336.758.2425 for details or visit www.graylyn.com.