Christmas 2022: A glance at who is Santa Claus and its history

As per the legends, Santa Claus resides at the North Pole with his wife, Mrs. Claus, and is said to receive letters from children requesting their favorite gifts. He is commonly portrayed as laughing in a way that sounds like "ho ho ho". This image became popular in the United States and Canada in the 19th century due to the significant influence of the 1823 poem, "A Visit from St. Nicholas".

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Santa Claus, whom children have always been eagerly waiting for during Christmas, is the most adorable and iconic figure. This stout, red-suited, cheerful man brings joy and happiness riding in the ‘one horse open sleigh’ drawn by eight reindeers. 

He ushers in optimism and gifts on Christmas Eve. Parents teach children to be good and to earn rewards from Santa. If they are good, they will receive presents in their stockings from Santa.

So, who is this much-loved mystery man- Santa Claus? Ahead of Christmas, here’s all that you should know about Santa.

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1. As per the legends, Santa is a jolly good fellow who makes toys for children throughout the year with the assistance of his elves. He is said to receive letters from children requesting their favorite gifts. He resides at the North Pole with his wife, Mrs. Claus.

Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is an iconic and legendary character originating in Western Christian Culture who is said to bring gifts and goodies in the late evening and also during the overnight hours on Christmas Eve. He brings in loads of toys and candy or coal or nothing, depending on whether they are naughty or nice. In the legend, he accomplishes this with the aid of Christmas Elves, who make the toys in his workshop. He is often said to be at the North Pole with a flying reindeer who pull his sleigh through the air.

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2. The story of this white-bearded, happy man seems to date back to Turkey during 280 A.D. when Saint Nicholas, a monk roamed about helping the needy and sick. This monk used his entire wealth to aid the underprivileged. So, that’s how once a real man emerged as the very lovable, high-spirited Santa whose presence is indispensable during the joyous Christmas.

Santa Claus is always seen dashing through the snow as imagined in the classic Christmas Carol song. Christmas Holidays are just incomplete without the Santa Claus and his bag full of goodies and gifts for all the children and families as well.

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3. He used it to pay for the dowry for his three sisters. He did that to save his sisters from being sold by their father. The saint turned out to be the protector of children and sailors. Well, Santa was not always a healthy figure with a round belly. Washington Irving, an author, portrayed the image of Santa in his book “Knickerbocker’s History of New York" in 1809, as a pipe-smoking, slim figure flying over rooftops in a wagon delivering presents to good children.

Santa Claus is generally seen as a secret carrier of gifts for kids who pray to him for giving their family happiness. In many places where families are poor, Santa Claus is seen as a carrier of happiness, food, new clothes, and abundance for them.

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4. Another story says that when people from the Netherlands migrated to New World colonies, they spoke about the legend of Sinterklaas, the Dutch version of Saint Nicholas. The stories of Saint Nicholas's generosity reached far and wide in America by 1700. The pop culture there transformed the man’s image. Eventually, after his death, the name evolved to Santa Claus.

This is the reason why Santa Claus is an integral part of Christmas and has been a part of many films and stories in Hollywood which encapsulated the Xmas joy and spirit while growing up.