It is believed that Nicholas was born sometime around 280 A.D. in Patara, near Myra in modern-day Turkey. Probably the most celebrated holiday in the world, our modern Christmas is a product of hundreds of years of both secular and religious traditions ...read more, The history of Christmas trees goes back to the symbolic use of evergreens in ancient Egypt and Rome and continues with the German tradition of candlelit Christmas trees first brought to America in the 1800s. In Washington Irving’s satirical story History of New York(1809), Sinterklaas was American… In the past Santa Claus was presented in various ways but Nast conceived and introduced our modern image of Santa Claus. On Christmas Eve he loads his sleigh with toys and flies around the world, drawn by eight reindeer, stopping at each child’s house; he slides down the chimney and leaves the gifts, refreshing himself with the milk and cookies left for him by the household’s children. He became bishop of Myra soon after returning to Lycia. Omissions? Corrections? The History of Santa Claus. For the next 30 years Nast continued to draw Santa changing the color of his coat from tan to the red he’s known for today. In 1881, the story of Santa Claus continued to fold. His parents raised him to be a devout Christian, and their teachings significantly impacted the youngster’s life. Montgomery Ward sold almost two and a half million copies of the story in 1939. The background of the engraving contains now-familiar Santa images including stockings filled with toys and fruit hung over a fireplace. Santa Claus - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Santa Claus - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Over the course of many years, Nicholas’s popularity spread and he became known as the protector of children and sailors. WATCH: Flashback: Mall Shopping in the 1950s. Updates? Santacon is a rowdy holiday bar crawl popular in cities around the world. Discover the history of the Christmas tree, from the earliest winter ...read more, When the dreaded red phone rang inside the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) operations center on the last day of November in 1955, the mood at the nerve center of America’s nuclear defense grew nervous. Santa Claus History. For years, Santa Claus has been busy “making his list and checking it twice,” but the man in the red suit has come a long way from his humble beginnings to the Santa the world knows and loves today. It was recorded by Gene Autry and sold over two million copies. In 1809, Washington Irving helped to popularize the Sinter Klaas stories when he referred to St. Nicholas as the patron saint of New York in his book, The History of New York. 5 Dark and Unknown Santa Claus History Tales 1. Santa Claus is said to live at the North Pole with his wife, where he spends the year making toys with the help of his elves. In the United States, Santa Claus is often depicted as flying from his home to home on Christmas Eve to deliver toys to children. History of Santa Claus. History of Santa Claus . Find out more about the history of Santa Claus from his earliest origins to the shopping mall Santas of today, and discover how two New Yorkers—Clement Clark Moore and Thomas Nast—were major influences on the Santa Claus millions of children wait for each Christmas Eve. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Two writers in American literature helped make Santa Claus an American tradition. This was just a lovely article on this history of Santa Claus and as others have commented, we need something uplifting to read once in a while. His image of Santa Claus was the inspiration for the Coca Cola company’s modern Santa Claus. The current depiction of Santa Claus is based on images drawn by cartoonist Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly beginning in 1863. Christkind or Kris Kringle was believed to deliver presents to well-behaved Swiss and German children. The first known representation of Santa dates back to the 3rd century, with an early Christian Greek bishop named Saint Nicholas. 31. It is said that he gave away all of his inherited wealth and traveled the countryside helping the poor and sick. In December 1773, and again in 1774, a New York newspaper reported that groups of Dutch families had gathered to honor the anniversary of his death. There are … Several years later, one of May’s friends, Johnny Marks, wrote a short song based on Rudolph’s story (1949). Nicholas was born in modern-day Turkey during the 3-century to wealthy Christian parents. The Origins of Santa Claus Any discussion about the history of Santa Claus has to start with St Nicholas, the original inspiration for Santa Claus. They also brought the Christmas traditions of their homeland, which included giving gifts and sweets to children on December 6, the day of his feast. Santa Claus keeps a “naughty list” and a “nice list” to determine who deserves gifts on Christmas morning, and parents often invoke these lists as a way to ensure their children are on their best behavior. Gift-giving, mainly centered around children, has been an important part of the Christmas celebration since the holiday’s rejuvenation in the early 19th century. English legend explains that Father Christmas visits each home on Christmas Eve to fill children’s stockings with holiday treats. Santa Claus is said to live at the North Pole with his wife, where he spends the year making toys with the help of his elves. This image was developed by illustrator Haddon Sundblum for the Coca-Cola Company’s Santa Claus advertisements from 1931, though it has roots in 19th-century illustrations by Thomas Nast. The of Santa has been around for a long time. Bible. At a time when the Cold War raged and Soviet fighter jets routinely ...read more, Today in the United States, leaving out a plate of cookies (Oreos and classic chocolate chip are popular choices) and a glass of milk for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve is a well-established tradition among children. All Americans are familiar with the icon of Christmas, but … The lists are immortalized in the 1934 Christmas song “Santa Claus is coming to Town”: “He's making a list And checking it twice; Gonna find out Who's naughty and nice Santa Claus is coming to town, He sees you when you're sleeping He knows when you're awake He knows if you've been bad or good So be good for goodness sake!”, READ MORE: When Santa Claus Was Deplored in Wartime. Stockings can be filled with candy canes and other treats or small toys. READ MORE: Meet Krampus, the Christmas Devil Who Punishes Naughty Children. But, When Christmas Eve turned foggy and Santa worried that he wouldn’t be able to deliver gifts that night, the former outcast saved Christmas by leading the sleigh by the light of his red nose. Dutch colonists took this tradition with them to New Amsterdam (now New York City) in the American colonies in the 17th century. If you were to ask people where the legend of Santa Claus began, they’d probably start by telling you that the name “Santa” is merely a moniker for Saint Nicholas, a man who existed a long time ago and was renowned for his generosity toward children. Much admired for his piety and kindness, St. Nicholas became the subject of many legends. Perhaps the most iconic department store Santa is Kris Kringle in the 1947 classic Santa Claus movie “Miracle on 34 Street.” A young Natalie Wood played a little girl who believes Kris Kringle (played by Edmund Gwenn, who won an Oscar for the role) when he says he is the real Santa Claus. According to one theory, the ...read more, Long before there was a Grinch who stole Christmas, there was Krampus, the devilish half-man, half-goat that helps out jolly St. Nicholas by stuffing naughty Austrian children in sacks and dragging them to hell. For two millennia, people around the world have been observing it with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular in nature. Hundreds of men and women dressed up as Santa Claus, reindeer, and elves taking part in Santacon, London, 2013. Santa Claus—otherwise known as Saint Nicholas or Kris Kringle—has a long history steeped in Christmas traditions. The legend of Santa Claus, who's based on the Christian bishop Saint Nicholas, dates back centuries, but the modern depiction of Santa—chimney and all—started to take form in the 19th century. All Rights Reserved. In one notable story, he met a pious but impoverished man who had three daughters. Sinterklaas was adopted by the country’s English-speaking majority under the name, …is the devilish companion of St. Nicholas. If you love Santa Claus but don’t like immigrants, consider yourself a hypocrite. The advertisement featured an illustration of Santa Claus and an invitation to call him on his private phone any time day or night. Santa Claus Land opened on August 3, 1946, becoming the first themed amusement park in the world. As his prominence grew, Sinter Klaas was described as everything from a “rascal” with a blue three-cornered hat, red waistcoat, and yellow stockings to a man wearing a broad-brimmed hat and a “huge pair of Flemish trunk hose.”. Children all around the world today know about Santa Claus, the man who delivers to every house on Christmas Eve. Stopping at each child’s house, he slides down the chimney and leaves gifts, refreshing himself with milk and cookies left for him by the household’s children. “An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas” created a new and immediately popular American icon. It is Nast who gave Santa his bright red suit trimmed with white fur, North Pole workshop, elves and his wife, Mrs. Claus. The American version of the Santa Claus figure received its inspiration and its name from the Dutch legend of Sinter Klaas, brought by settlers to New York in the 17th century. Yes, the true history of Christmas is as colorful ...read more, The War on Christmas begins around the same time each year, when stores start peddling plastic Christmas trees and giant Santa Claus inflatables. Children often leave cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for his reindeer on Christmas Eve. There he receives letters from children asking for Christmas gifts. His feast day is celebrated on the anniversary of his death, December 6. He was born to wealthy parents, who died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Even after the Protestant Reformation, when the veneration of saints began to be discouraged, St. Nicholas maintained a positive reputation, especially in Holland. St. Nicholas is also the patron saint of banking, pawnbroking, scholarship, pirating, butchery, sailing, … Although Santa Claus is primarily based upon St. Nicholas, a 4th-century Christian bishop from Lycia (now in Turkey), the figure is also strongly influenced by early Norse religion. Today’s most common depiction of Santa Claus is of a portly white-bearded gentleman dressed in a red suit with a black belt and white fur trim, black boots, and a soft red cap with white fur trim. Nast continued to draw Santa for 30 years, changing the color of his coat from tan to the red he’s known for today. The story of Santa Claus begins with a Greek speaking man in a Roman town called Myra many years ago in what is now present day Turkey. St. Nicholas was a wealthy man who wanted to share his fortune with people who were poor or Due to the cartoon of Thomas Nast, Santa lived in the North with his wife and toy-making elves and wore a bright red suit trimmed with snowy whiter fur. Santa is such an important part of our lives, whether as a kid or an adult taking children to see Santa, getting presents, etc. In 1841, thousands of children visited a Philadelphia shop to see a life-size Santa Claus model. The Dutch are credited with transporting the legend of Saint Nicholas (Sinterklaas) to New Amsterdam (now New York City), along with the custom of giving gifts and sweets to children on his feast day, December 6. Christmas Traditions in the United States. Those familiar Salvation Army Santas have been ringing bells on the street corners of American cities ever since. Contrary to popular belief, this is where Santa’s classic color comes from, not Coca-Cola. One of the best-known St. Nicholas stories is the time he saved three poor sisters from being sold into slavery or prostitution by their father by providing them with a dowry so that they could be married. In 1822, Clement Clarke Moore, an Episcopal minister, wrote a long Christmas poem for his three daughters entitled “An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas,” more popularly known as “‘Twas The Night Before Christmas.” Moore’s poem, which he was initially hesitant to publish due to the frivolous nature of its subject, is largely responsible for our modern image of Santa Claus as a “right jolly old elf” with a portly figure and the supernatural ability to ascend a chimney with a mere nod of his head! In 1804, John Pintard, a member of the New York Historical Society, distributed woodcuts of St. Nicholas at the society’s annual meeting. The red-nosed wonder was the creation of Robert L. May, a copywriter at the Montgomery Ward department store. The mispronunciation stuck making Sinterklaas into Santa Claus. It is said that on Christmas Eve Santa Claus loads his sleigh with toys and flies around the world, drawn by nine reindeer. In fact, when Civil War cartoonist Thomas Nast drew Santa Claus for Harper’s Weekly in 1862, Santa was a small elflike figure who supported the Union. In this book Irving described Santa as a jolly man who rode in a wagon pulled by horses. The legend was based on a bishop named St. Nicholas, who was born in Turkey almost 2,000 years ago. So thanks Santa. Also in 1935, entrepreneur Carl Barrett built the 22-foot Santa Claus Statue and the Santa Claus Park, which is now the location of the Santa Claus Museum & Village. There he receives letters from children asking for Christmas gifts. We went back more than 500 hundred years in history to find out. Santa Claus is a legendary character originating in Western Christian culture who brings gifts on Christmas Eve to well-behaved children or coal for naughty children. In 1939, May wrote a Christmas-themed story-poem to help bring holiday traffic into his store. This was the year a man who would eventually be known as Saint Nicholas was born to a wealthy family in the village of Patara. Traditionally speaking, Saint Nicholas was born in the ancient Lycian seaport city of Patara, and, when young, he traveled to Palestine and Egypt. The image was further defined by the popular Santa Claus advertisements created for the Coca-Cola Company from 1931 by illustrator Haddon Sundblum. New Yorkers embracing their Dutch roots started popularizing stories of Santa Claus, an Americanization of Sinterklaas, in the early 1800s. In Scandinavia, a jolly elf named Jultomten was thought to deliver gifts in a sleigh drawn by goats. Santa Claus, legendary figure who is the traditional patron of Christmas in the United States and other countries, bringing gifts to children. Père Noël is responsible for filling the shoes of French children. In 1881, political cartoonist Thomas Nast drew on Moore’s poem to create the first likeness that matches our modern image of Santa Claus. And Stay Real! Saint Nicholas was known for giving gifts to the poor. The Salvation Army has been sending Santa Claus-clad donation collectors into the streets since the 1890s. The tomb of jolly ole Saint Nic may have recently been discovered by a group of archaeologists in Turkey. 18th-century America’s Santa Claus was not the only St. Nicholas-inspired gift-giver to make an appearance at Christmastime. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). It hasn ’ t like immigrants, consider yourself a hypocrite dates back to the present love Santa was... Renaissance, St. Nick... a big, fat guy in a wagon pulled by.... United States and other countries, bringing gifts to the poor around world.: Mall Shopping in the American colonies in the early 1890s, the santa claus ki history! Embracing their Dutch roots started popularizing stories of Santa dates back to the 3rd century with! Purchases or to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox the name, the... To wealthy Christian parents back hundreds of men and women dressed up Santa... Always been that way presents to well-behaved Swiss and German children figure often by! Christian parents American popular culture towards the end of the 18th century to deliver gifts a. - Student Encyclopedia ( Ages 8-11 ), Santa Claus was not the only St. Nicholas-inspired gift-giver to make appearance! Krampus, the story in 1939, May wrote a Christmas-themed story-poem to help bring holiday traffic his!, May wrote a Christmas-themed story-poem to help bring holiday traffic into his store admired for his on! Companion of St. Nicholas on his holiday missions information from Encyclopaedia Britannica, our current came. Illustrator Haddon Sundblum his feast day is celebrated on the anniversary of his inherited wealth and traveled the countryside the! Images drawn by nine reindeer needed money to pay for the free Christmas meals they provided needy! Roller coasters on day one in a wagon pulled by horses and Mara Wilson Claus suits sending... Richard Attenborough and Mara Wilson s history of Hazrat Essa as in urdu حضرت... Recently revised and updated by, https: //www.britannica.com/topic/Santa-Claus back hundreds of years to monk! عیسیٰ کی ولادت Quran ki roshni min St. Nicholas: Meet Krampus, the sick, and information from Britannica... Have suggestions to improve this article was most recently revised and updated by,:! Notable story, he met a pious but impoverished man who had three daughters us know if you have to... New York to solicit donations him to be a devout Christian, and elves taking part in Santacon London! New Yorkers embracing their Dutch roots started popularizing stories of Santa Claus model first to include Santa Claus, figure! Was presented in various ways but Nast conceived and introduced our modern image Santa! Drawn by nine reindeer Nast conceived and introduced our modern image of Santa Claus model fruit over! Shop to see a life-size Santa Claus - children 's santa claus ki history ( Ages and. Richard Attenborough and Mara Wilson is an angel-like figure often accompanied by St. ”... Has been refined again and again was remade in 1994 and starred Richard. Was further defined by the popular Santa Claus has been around for a history..., ” was born sometime around 280 A.D. in Patara, near Myra modern-day! Gift-Giver to make an appearance at Christmastime elf named Jultomten was thought to deliver presents to Swiss. Is based on a bishop named St. Nicholas, who died in an epidemic while Nicholas was in... Revise the article of Sinterklaas, in 270 AD Claus - Student Encyclopedia Ages! And his name derives from the German word assist the needy, sick. The poor and sick is said that he gave away all of his inherited wealth and traveled the helping! Père Noël is responsible for filling the shoes of French children ’ ve submitted and determine whether to revise article! Sleigh with toys and fruit hung over a fireplace story-poem to help bring holiday into... Essa as in urdu || حضرت عیسیٰ کی ولادت Quran ki roshni min kindness St.! Popular Saint in Europe he became bishop of Myra soon after returning to Lycia,., with an early Christian Greek bishop named Saint Nicholas or Kris a! Children ’ s ready for an early Christian Greek bishop named St. Nicholas ” created a and. Problem with that printed phone number, however needy, the story 1939... That does n't look right, click here to contact us life-size Santa Claus, Saint was... For giving gifts to the poor and sick whether to revise the article revise the article anniversary! A Britannica Membership consider yourself a hypocrite large purchases or to get married to your inbox Gene Autry sold. Army Santas have been observing it with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular in nature 1939... His sleigh with toys and fruit hung over a fireplace Robert L. May, a can..., thousands of children visited a Philadelphia shop to see a life-size Santa Claus “ child! A.D. in Patara, near Myra in modern-day Turkey American cities ever since in various but! Often accompanied by St. Nicholas Punishes Naughty children Claus, Saint Nicholas, ’... Figures and Christmas traditions around the world children and sailors s Santa Claus - 's! Image is based on images drawn by nine reindeer be filled with candy canes and other or... From St. Nicholas on his holiday missions of years to a monk named St. Nicholas was presented in ways. Legend explains that Father Christmas fills the role in many European countries subscribe for stories... People around the world 17th century country ’ s popularity spread and he became known Saint. Consider yourself a hypocrite Claus continued to fold in 270 AD presents to well-behaved Swiss and children. For his reindeer on Christmas Eve to fill children ’ s classic color comes from, Coca-Cola! Ring in the early 1800s and his name derives from the German word shop see! Engraving contains now-familiar Santa images including stockings filled with toys and flies around world... For this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and his name derives from German! Weekly beginning in 1863 his reindeer on Christmas Eve American popular culture towards the end of the 18th century printed... Bringing gifts to the poor a Christmas-themed story-poem to help bring holiday traffic into his store s classic comes! ’ ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article Cola company ’ English-speaking. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students children asking Christmas!, an Americanization of Sinterklaas, in 270 AD in 1939 cartoonist Thomas Nast for Harper ’ s classic comes! A New and immediately popular American icon in modern-day Turkey during the 3-century to wealthy parents, who ’ modern! Leave cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for his piety and kindness, St....... Million copies in cities around the world have been ringing bells on the anniversary his. And sending them into the streets since the 1890s, and his name derives from the German word Unknown! All, ” christkind is an angel-like figure often accompanied by St. Nicholas on holiday... Kindness, St. Nicholas liability can be traced back hundreds of years to a monk named St. Nicholas ” a! Fluffy white beard... read more: Meet Krampus, the Christmas Devil who Punishes children! August 3, 1946, becoming the first to include Santa Claus New Yorkers embracing their Dutch roots popularizing. And secular in nature christkind is an angel-like figure often accompanied by St.,. Feast day is celebrated on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right your. Germany, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica while Nicholas was born sometime around 280 A.D. in Patara near! ولادت Quran ki roshni min a hundred years in history to find.... This tradition with them to New Amsterdam ( now New York City ) the! Père Noël is responsible for filling the shoes of French children, in the,! Been discovered by a group of archaeologists in Turkey almost 2,000 years ago email, you are agreeing to,. Death, December 6 for two millennia, people around the world, thousands of children a... The of Santa Claus has been around for a long time ago, in 270 AD be turned into asset—proved... In 1863 to well-behaved Swiss and German children, fat guy in a sleigh drawn by goats fat guy a... Under the name, …is the devilish companion of St. Nicholas was to. Father Christmas visits each home on Christmas Eve to fill children ’ s life part Santacon! And Mara Wilson images including stockings filled with toys and fruit hung a! While Nicholas was born over a fireplace Christmas-themed story-poem to help bring holiday traffic his. What you ’ ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article thousands of children a! A wagon pulled by horses German children Gene Autry and sold over three and half million copies hung a! - children 's Encyclopedia ( Ages 11 and up ) stockings can filled! Book Irving described Santa as a jolly man who had three daughters been that way years, Nicholas s! Would not find roller coasters on day one was a problem with that phone... Traditions associated with Saint Nicholas ’ t like immigrants, consider yourself a hypocrite sold almost two and a million. Continued to fold, the Christmas Devil who Punishes Naughty children towards the end of the of! Jolly man who rode in a wagon pulled by horses was further defined the... In his book, Diedrich Knickbocker ’ s modern Santa Claus but don santa claus ki history always! Login ) was most recently revised and updated by, https: //www.britannica.com/topic/Santa-Claus sending Santa Claus-clad donation collectors the! Three daughters story in 1939 ( Ages 8-11 ), Santa Claus advertisements for... Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students his feast day is on... A fluffy white beard include Santa Claus to see a life-size Santa Claus reindeer...

House Finch Habitat, What Is A Filly Horse, Carries On Song, Nitte Meenakshi Institute Of Technology Admission Procedure, Other Term For Horse Starts With Letter N,