Christmas Special : Evolution from St. Nicholas to Santa Claus

Evolution from St. Nicholas to Santa Claus

Father Christmas, old Saint Nick and Kris Kringle are some of the names given to the most awaited man every December 24- the night before Christmas. We commonly call him ‘Santa Claus”- a fat, white beard man wearing a red coat with white fur collar, a red hat and black leather belt and has a flying reindeer who pulls his sleigh. He has a list of children as per their behaviour and comes from North Pole and circumnavigates the globe to deliver gifts to well behaved kids. But we forgot sometimes that this ebullient gnome who sneaks down the chimney every year has a history which is more than 1700 years old.

His character seems to be timeless but this man has a vibrant story of existence. Around 1700 years ago, in the heart of Roman Empire in a town in Turkey called Patara, a boy named Nicholas (means “hero of the people”) was born who appeared outstandingly sacred and divine from the time of his birth. He was a caring and compassionate boy who loved to help people by sharing his meals. At a very youthful age, he joined church and was later named as “Boy Bishop”.  When he was thirty, the old diocese of Mira needed a new person in command and the ongoing bishop received a sign from God about making Nicholas the next Bishop of Mira.

 His righteous deeds helped him earn the global reputation- known as a man who is a protector of innocents and is well acquainted with the difference between right and wrong. He once came to know that his neighbour did not have dowry for her daughter’s marriage and as a result she would be sold off into prostitution or slavery. In order to save her from dreadful fate, he secretly tied some of his own family’s gold into a handkerchief and dropped it through neighbour’s window. This further gave idea of the gifts in the Christmas stockings as people hang their socks out in front of the fireplace to dry. His repeated acts of generosity made him famous and people spoke of his late-night nameless presents and his granting of secret wishes. Being a protector of faith and humanity, he was soon named as Saint Nicolas by the people who heard and witnessed his miracles. He became embodiment of righteousness and his kind deeds made him the patron of all who were in need but he achieved his greatest fame as a patron of the most vulnerable among us i.e. children. His popularity continues to mount until the time of Reformation movement- which forbade the practice of honoring saints.  

In America, the name of Saint Nicolas went through many alterations. Dutch’s Sint Nikolass became Santa Claus in America and instead of giving gifts on his birthday (December, 6) he became a part of Christmas holiday. In 1837, a poem named “A Visit from St. Nicholas” by Clement Clarke Moore left an enormous impact on history of Christmas gift- giving.

The lines from the poem describe him as a jolly, fat man who gives gifts to all well behaved children and has changed the image of Santa Claus forever:

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her ’kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle,
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

Moore’s poem looked both forward and back and it formed a bridge between St. Nicholas and the modern Santa Claus.

Now came the question- what does he look like? There were multiple illustrators who presented all different kinds of images and visions. Some of them looked very saintly and other looked very pagan. The cartoonist Thomas Nast, often considered as “father of American Cartoon” conceived and introduced the modern image of Claus. He added to the Saint Nicholas legend with an 1881 issue of Harper’s Weekly drawing of Santa as wearing a red suit with white fur trim. His image was inspired from the Coca Cola Company’s modern Santa Claus.  With each rendition he added new elements to Santa’s story- like his drawing of Santa with telescope conveyed that Santa lives in the North Pole. He also acquainted us with Santa’s big book of good and bad children and also showed Santa as taking a Christmas wish over the newfangled telephone. He presented the picture of Santa’s home life. So, in times to come Santa will not only be known for his generosity but for his salesmanship as well.  

Dr. Ranbir Kaur
December 25, 2019