What he does is teach children to believe in something they can’t see or touch. The Santa Claus we see today was invented in 1822, when Clement Clarke Moore, an Episcopal minister, wrote a long poem for his daughters named, “An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas.” He described Santa 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!” To find out more, read on! Basically, Santa, or Sankt Nikolaus (St. Nicholas), comes around with his devils (or Krampuses) in tow. St. Nicholas, while a holy, virtuous and courageous man, was still just a man. Looking at the Masters: How St Nicholas Became Santa Claus in America. Saint Nicholas was a Christian bishop who helped the needy. There are two small references to Santa … Before there was Santa Claus, there was Saint Nicholas, known traditionally as the bearer of gifts. And Santa's magic, though it might warm the heart of a scrooge, cannot turn a heart to God or save their soul. We find a puppet show a delightful way to tell his story, explain his relation to the Christ Child, and introduce the hanging of stockings for his feast day. He was buried in the Church of St Nicholas in Myra. He is there to determine whether kids have been naughty or nice — but in this case, being naughty has severe consequences: a run-in with his demon assistants. Four artists, working with stories handed down, are responsible for the Santa Claus that we know today as the “spirit of generosity and love.”. The other reason we have Santa Claus and not St. Nicholas is due to Protestant hatred against Catholic Saint days. On December 6th many Europeans still celebrate Saint Nicholas Day. After his death, the legend of his gift-giving grew. Sinterklaas is based on the historical figure of Saint Nicholas (270–343), a Greek bishop of Myra in present-day Turkey. He is depicted as an elderly, stately and serious man with white hair and a long, full beard. Secondly, St. Nicholas’ skin tone wouldn’t settle the issue because Santa Claus is not based primarily on St. Nicholas. But how St. Nicholas came to North America and eventually became merged with Santa Claus is “deeply mysterious,” Flanders argues. St Nicholas of Myra (270-343 CE) (Greece) and the numerous miracles he performed were the inspiration for St Nicholas Day celebrated on December 3, 2020. December 17, 2020 by Beverly Hall Smith 2 Comments. St. Nicholas Becomes Santa Claus. Santa is the magic and love and spirit of giving to others. Santa is lots of and lots of people who keep the spirit of Christmas alive. On December 6 comes the feast of the Christmas saint, St. Nicholas, although most of our celebration of this feast comes on his vigil, December 5. According to the Saint Nicholas Center Web site, after the American Revolution, New Yorkers were looking to break with British tradition, and they remembered with pride the colony's nearly-forgotten Dutch roots. ‘Old … Make no mistake, both stories have a happy 'ending,' one with gifts under a tree and the other with the gift of salvation Who hung on a tree but rose again. He lives in our hearts – not at the North Pole.