Santa Claus is a beloved figure known for delivering presents on Christmas, but who is he? and where does he come from?

Santa Claus, or St. Nicholas, was born in Turkey on March 15, 270 A.D. He grew up to become a Christian bishop who dedicated his life to helping those in need. After losing his parents, Nicholas used his inheritance to assist the poor and sick. Eventually, he became the bishop of Myra, where he continued his good deeds. 

Numerous stories illustrate Nicholas’s kindness. One tale recounts how he helped three sisters whose father couldn’t afford their dowries. Nicholas secretly left a bag of money in their house twice without being noticed at night to ensure the daughter’s marriage. He repeated this act of generosity until the father caught him on the third night. The father expressed his gratitude for his help. Another story tells of three men wrongfully accused of a crime and were about to be executed. Nicholas intervened, resulting in a fair trial that saved the innocent men from death. The village celebrated him as their savior.

Saint Nicholas passed away on December 6, AD 343, due to an illness and was buried in the Myra cathedral. In 1773, Dutch immigrants brought their tradition of honoring Nicholas’s death to America. Over time, American culture embraced St. Nicholas, and in December 1773 and 1774, Dutch families in New York gathered in remembrance of him. The name “Santa Claus” originated from Nick’s Dutch nickname, Sinter Klaas, a shortened version of Sint Nikolaas, the Dutch name for St. Nicholas. As time went on, Santa’s appearance changed over time until we recognized him in his iconic red coat.