New Delhi: Christmas is just around the corner, and the festival on December 25 commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ remains incomplete without the presence of Santa Claus. He is a legendary figure whose origin lies in the culture of the Western Christianism. According to the popular notion, Santa Claus brings gifts during the late evening and overnight hours on Christmas Eve with the help of elves and flying reindeer who pull his sleigh through the air. He gives gifts to children on the Christmas Eve and has become an integral part of the Christmas culture. But who inspired the legend of the Santa Claus?
Who inspired the legend of Santa Claus?
The popular image of Santa Claus is based on traditions associated with a 4th century Christian saint named Saint Nicholas who is shown in red bishop’s robes. It is said that the Dutch transported the legend of Saint Nicholas to the New York City and also took the custom of gift-giving to children to the US. Later, it spread to other parts of the world.
Who was Saint Nicholas?
Saint Nicholas was a Greek Christian bishop in the 4th-century who lived in the Roman Empire’s Myra which is located today in Turkey. He was famous for giving gifts to the poor and famously saved three impoverished daughters of a pious Christian from becoming prostitutes. His entire life was devoted to Christianity and in Europe, he is depicted as a bearded bishop in canonical robes.
Also known as Nicholas the Wonderworker, he is the patron saint of sailors, archers, merchants, children, repentant thieves, brewers, toymakers, pawnbrokers, unmarried people, and students in Europe. His reputation evolved among the pious and his legendary work of secretly giving gifts gave rise to the folklore of Santa Claus. Apart from saving three girls from prostitution by giving their poor father dowry for their marriage, he is also believed to have saved innocent soldiers from wrongful execution and resurrected children who were murdered, among other deeds. His generosity led to the birth of the legend of the Santa Claus centuries later, who is also associated with giving gifts.
Who inspired the current depiction of Santa Claus?
The image of Santa Claus that we see today is based on images of cartoonist Thomas Nast in 1863. Nast got the inspiration from the poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” which was published in 1823. Later, the popular Santa Claus advertisements created for the Coca-Cola Company from 1931 by illustrator Haddon Sundblum made the image of the bearded gift-giver more famous.
The legend of Santa Claus is rooted in the 4th-century Saint Nicholas, a generous bishop known for gift-giving. Dutch settlers brought St. Nicholas traditions to America, evolving into the Santa Claus we know. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
