Saint Nicholas – Sinterklauss – Santa Claus

Copyright by James Carlson

Artwork by LynnDove.com

During the holiday season this year, we have opportunity to renew the old traditions that have fallen through the cracks of time. We find our modern world celebrating Halloween (aka All Hallows Eve and the Day of the Dead) with emblems of death, which has no connection with a Holy Day (holiday). No, Halloween is supposed to be a Holy Day where we remember those who came before us to establish our culture, society, traditions, and laws for the benefit of all mankind. Remembering Saint Nicholaus is one way we can do that during the Halloween festivities and throughout the Christmas season this year.

Nicholas (270 – 343) was born Into a wealthy family and would later become the Bishop of Myra in the 4^th century CE and was famous for his ministry to the people there. Myra was a city that became a metropolis in the 2^nd century CE in the region of Lycia and was also the capital of the region. Three miles down the road was the port of Andriacus where Luke and Paul had once visited on their missionary journeys back in the 1^st century CE.

Nicholas was famous to the local towns people for helping poor children and others in distress with his generous giving. Stories account of his putting gold into the stockings of 3 daughters of a poor man so they could be married. They hung their stockings by the fire place to dry and as Nicholas secretly entered the house, he put their presents into their stockings. This and other exploits earned him notoriety with the both the Eastern Catholic and Orthodox Churches as they both made him a Saint of the Church. The holiday honoring Saint Nicholas is celebrated on 5-6 December every year (Nicholas died on 6 December 343 CE) along with the tradition of giving with stockings hung by the fire for presented to given.

Another figure, rather fictional, is Father Christmas. This is a English character who heralded the birth of Christ with festivities. Not at all an historical figure, he was a character in many tales of celebration that later led to a combination between the historical Saint Nick and fictional Father Christmas.

Although the Reformation of Europe provided for an end to the veneration of Saints, the Dutch continued to celebrate the memory of ‘Saint-Nicholaus,’ calling him ‘Sinter-klaus ‘or Sinterklass. When the Dutch came to America in what is now New York city, the traditions of the Dutch and the English merged into the celebration of ‘Santa-Claus.’ Thus we have the general outline of history of this man revered as a Saint in many countries, east and west.

So what is the connection between Santa Claus and the birth of Christ Jesus in the manger? As a Bishop and a devoted Christian, Santa Claus would have kneeled before Jesus in prayer often throughout his life. And as the traditions of Santa Claus were merged with those of Father Christmas and the birth of Christ Jesus in Bethlehem, Christmas became a time of celebration of Jesus with the figure of Santa Claus in attendance. The word ‘Christmas’ is actually from the Old English phrase "Cristes mæsse," which means "Christ's Mass," refers to the church service celebrating the birth of Jesus. As the birth of Christ is celebrated with the figure of Santa Claus leading that celebration, it is not historically accurate but spiritually accurate none-the-less.

So, now we have 3 holidays in which we can honor the memory of Saint Nicholaus.

31 October - All Hallows Eve (or Halloween) is a day in preparation of a feast day called All Saints Day. This is a time of reflection and prayer. Saint Nicholas certainly spent his life in prayer as a Christian, a leader in the Church. This holiday has, sadly, merged into a day of horror and spiritual blindness. This is also the day the Protestant Reformation begin with Martin Luther; another figure we may reflect upon for personal growth (solo fide or simple faith in Jesus).

1 November - All Saints Day (following Halloween as one holiday) is a reminder of the communion of saints, encouraging Christians to emulate their holy lives and acts of faith as role models for their own spiritual journey. Saint Nicholas is certainly one such figure that we can try and emulate in our own personal lives.

5-6 December - Saint Nicholas Day (or the Feast of Saint Nicholas) is a day of celebration where we remember the kindness of a famous Christian who helped others with personal charity. The tradition of gift giving began here.

25 December – Christmas is a day of celebrating the Christ Child – Jesus of Nazareth who grew up to save mankind from their sins with his death on the Cross and Resurrection 3 days later. As we celebrate the birth of a baby boy – Jesus on Christmas day, we see the figure of Santa Claus praying before the manager, giving respect to the same.

So, there you have it. A summary of history, tradition, and holidays. Let’s celebrate this holiday season with Holy reflection and not perversity, debauchery, and dissipation. We in society need these holidays to help us recharge our cultural, social, and spiritual batteries as it were as we present ourselves before God in prayer, reflection, and servitude to Christ Jesus. Let us be a guide for this generation and those that follow as we live simply and humbly before our Lord Jesu in service to his purpose and cause. Amen!