Meet jolly old Saint Nick
Even as a small child I questioned my parents about how on earth a big fat man with a red sleigh and eight reindeer could cover the whole wide world in just one night. How could such a man go down small chimneys as we had at our house, I pondered.
Yet at six years of age, on a clear Christmas Eve with a bright moon and stars in the sky, I would see, in the light of the moon, a tiny sled with eight reindeer far, far away. Likely just leaving the North Pole and heading for Yarmouth County. It was magic. The rest of the story I found in the writings of Joseph A. McCullogh, the story of Saint Nicholas, who later became Santa Claus.
The story of Santa Claus began about 1,700 years ago in Turkey. Around the year 280 AD, a young Christian family had a young boy named Nicholas. They came from a wealthy background, but sadly when Nicholas was only 14 years old a deadly plague swept the country, claiming many people, including his parents.
Nicholas survived, but had no use for the riches of his parents and decided to give it away to needy families. One night he threw a small sack of gold coins through an open window. The sack landed in a stocking that was hung by the fireplace to dry. He did that many times for poor families, always under cover of darkness, so people would not know the identity of their benefactor.
After Nicholas had given away all the family fortune he left his native town and eventually reached the city of Myra, where the bishop had just died and a replacement was needed. Being a bishop was a tough and dangerous job that no one wanted. Nicholas, who it seemed had special powers – being young, capable, big and strong and fearless – was appointed bishop and soon started making miracles. Miracles such as saving people who were sick, or appearing out of nowhere to rescue sailors from sinking boats, who only to disappear when they were safe.
Nicholas was both respected and feared. He kept the bad guys and rotten governments in check. As he grew older, his white beard grew whiter and he often dressed in a big red coat. Because of his generosity of giving gifts to children, who had been good, from a big pack on his back, he was soon known as Saint Nicholas, as in the song Jolly Old St. Nicholas.
As centuries went by, he became known as Father Christmas, a name that was later changed to Santa Claus. And what did this jolly big man look like? Well, I think we all saw the ad for Coca-Cola with Santa Claus in full attire enjoying this carbonated soft drink. But the image of Santa Claus was invented long before the Coke ad. Of course, Santa needed a place to stay. It had to be cold and one that could not be discovered. What better place for privacy than the North Pole?
Santa Claus had a wife who was simply known as Mrs. Claus. Some believe her name was Martha, Mary, Louise or Layla, but nobody knows for sure. She was a smart and busy woman. She had to cook for the elves, plus Santa, and bake cookies for all the good little boys and girls on earth. She also kept the books for Santa, checking off who had been naughty or nice, and she helped wrap the presents.
In modern times, Rudolph, who had been bullied as a youngster because of his red nose, joined the team to guide Santa through snowstorms and fog, because … you guessed it, “He had a very shiny nose.”
Lots of people have claimed to have seen Santa Claus, but it was eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon who wrote to the editor of the New York Sun, because some of her little friends had said there was no Santa Claus. “Please tell me the truth,” she asked the editor. The answer that we all know today started “Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus,” settling once and for all that Santa does exist even today. And I know it’s true because the year I started school I saw Santa and the eight reindeer on their magic ride far, far away on a moon-and-starlit sky on Christmas Eve. Merry Christmas to one and all!