The History Of How Santa Claus Became A Living Legend

Santa Claus. St. Nic. Kris Kringle. However you know him, there’s a good chance plenty of people have grown up hearing stories of a jolly man in a red suit who waits to bring the good children their gifts every Christmas. Still, things aren’t always the stories and legends of the man at the North Pole that we know today.

The history of how Santa Claus became a living legend proves that he has come a long way since the days of Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of children. In fact, it turns out Santa has plenty more modern influences than many realize.

The real St. Nicholas can be traced to modern-day Turkey

Santa might be someone who fills the festive season, but things weren’t always that way. Did you know he’s linked to a real person? That’s right; St. Nicholas is thought to have been born around 280 CE in Turkey, and it wasn’t long before he became the center of many legends. It’s said St. Nicholas gave away everything he owned and instead traveled through the countryside helping those in need. There are even tales of the saint giving three sisters a dowry so they could marry before their father sold them into slavery. However, as things continued to grow, St. Nicholas eventually became known as the protector of sailors and children, with people honoring the anniversary of his passing every year on December 6. 

St. Nicholas didn’t find his way to the US until the 1700s

Just because St. Nicholas was a part of the Middle East and Europe for years doesn’t mean that the US had its own version of the character. That moment didn’t come until 1773 when a newspaper in New York ran a story about Dutch families gathering to honor the saint’s passing. Although it was to celebrate Sinterklaas, a shortening of the name Sint Nikolaas, people in the US took the name and turned it into the Santa Claus we know today. John Pintard was ultimately the first to bring him to life by engraving the character into woodcuts he handed out at the New York Historical Society all those years ago. 

Sinterklaas took on many different appearances

Santa Claus didn’t always have his red suit with white trim. In fact, he has been seen in plenty of outfits throughout the years, especially as word of Sinterklaas was still spreading throughout the US. As his popularity grew, so did Sinterklaas’ look. Some described the character with a huge broad-brimmed hat, while others claim Sinterklaas wore yellow stockings, a red waistcoat, and a blue three-cornered hat. Whatever the case, one thing remained the same: he was the one here to protect children every festive season.

Shopping mall Santas started as a way to raise money for charity

Amazingly, Christmas only really got another boost in the 1800s, with stores advertising seasonal shopping in 1820 and newspapers offering holiday advertisement sections 20 years later. It was also around this time that mall Santas started to take shape. Stores learned most people wanted to gift things to children during the holidays and needed a way to draw them in. The answer? To get a real-life Santa Claus. That moment came in 1841, as thousands of little ones flocked to Philadelphia to see a Santa model in the flesh. By the time the 1890s rolled around, the Salvation Army wanted a way to get people to donate. The answer? They got unemployed men to dress as Santa and ring bells in New York, leading to the Salvation Army Santas that still work in the US today. 

Clement Clarke Moore’s poem helped create the Santa we know today

Perhaps you’ve heard the famous ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas’ poem that gets told every year? It was written by none other than Clement Clark Moore, who wanted a festive story to tell his three daughters in 1822. Amazingly, Clement was initially worried about publishing his poem, as he thought it had no real purpose or meaning, but it was the first time the world got to hear about a jolly Santa who traveled the world to spread gifts each Christmas. Clement was also the one to introduce the idea that Santa could get in and out of our homes with a simple nod of the head before flying through the chimney. 

Different nations have all developed their own images of Santa Claus

Of course, every nation has its own version of Santa Claus, but they all tend to follow the same idea. Each Santa brings children gifts as they sleep, often enjoying a few treats that have been left out along the way. While the likes of Italy has La Befana, the witch who rides around on a broomstick, she is still in charge of rewarding little ones with a treat each Christmas.

The history of how Santa Claus became a living legend goes to show how far the jolly man we know and love today has come throughout the years. He might have even been around for longer than many of us ever realized.