The Amazing Christmas Story - Part 5

Today's blog is a slight departure from the actual Christmas story. I have always loved the idea of Santa Claus. Now I know that many Christians have a problem including Santa Claus in their Christmas celebrations. Some see him as a competitor to Jesus. Yet Santa, unlike traditions such as Christmas trees, holly, and mistletoe, is at least partially based on Christian principles and the example of Christian men. There is nothing theological about Santa, but there is a great deal that makes him the perfect secular companion for the holy day when we stop and recognize Christ's birth.

Santa Claus's roots can be traced back to St. Nicholas of Bari. The son of wealthy parents, Nicholas was born in the fourth century in the the own of Patara, Lycia (now part of Turkey). Legend records that when his parents died, the young man took all the family's money and distributed it to the needy in his hometown. He then accepted the call to full time Christian service, becoming a monk when he was only seventeen and, shortly thereafter, a priest. Nicholas was a remarkable man, exhibiting a maturity that few gain in their lifetime. He was said to have saved many lives and to have been a powerful prayer warrior. Yet far more than his spiritual powers, it was his generosity that most endeared Nicholas to those who knew him and that made him into a legend that lives on today. One of the wonderful stories about Nicholas's generosity tells about a widower and his three teenage daughters. The impoverished man and his family were literally starving to death. As the story goes, the widower was considering selling a daughter into slavery. However, each time Nicholas was in town, a gold coin was found in the stocking of one of the daughters that had been washed and hung by the fire to dry. Nicholas's generosity kept this family together.

The date of Nicholas's death, December 6th, probably in the late 340s or early 350s, was one of great sadness of the people of ancient Asia Minor. But he was not forgotten. On every anniversary of his passing, his life was commemorated with an annual feast. On St. Nicholas's Eve, youngsters would set out food for Nicholas and straw for his donkey. The next morning obedient children awoke to find their gifts replaced with sweets and toys. St. Nicholas's Day is still observed in many countries and on this day gifts are exchanged in honor of the spirit of faith, hope, and charity that he embodied.