Christmas is really about the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. At this time of year I see so many different movies on cable tv about the birth and life of Jesus how could I forget. Well growing up in the Catholic Church and going to St Thomas The Apostle in Rochester New York through 8th grade that is what I was taught. I was also taught that is a special time of giving just as God the Father gave us his only son. I can remember that in school they would give us a small box of candy. This was to show us that the season was about giving something no matter how simple it was. Here is an excellent link to a website about the season of Advent http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/advent/christmas.htm .
Now on the other hand society creeps in and gives us a message about giving, but it involves a lot of expensive material things. You will see it in commercials on cable television, movies, and magazines. There are quite a few good television programs, movies and music that actually do give a good message, but do leave out the message of the birth of Christ. Lately every time I turn on the news, check the newspaper or check the internet I see more and more of mans inhumanity to man. The best thing we can do is recognize this and try and treat others the best we can even if they do not follow are beliefs. The simplest way of think of this to me is the small bracelet that reads What Would Jesus Do.
Now where did the societies way of Christmas with Santa Claus come from. Saint Nicholas was from the 4th century Greek Bishop of Myra in Lycia. That is part of modern day Turkey. In the united states and other parts of the world has become known as Santa Claus. Here is an excellent source of information about his life http://www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/NICKLIFE.HTM . I do suggest reading the entire article. Here is another excellent article at EWTN about Saint Nicholas http://www.ewtn.com/saintsholy/saints/N/stnicholas.asp . He did do many wonderful deeds that we all associate with the holiday season. He did have a reputation of secret gift giving. It is said that he came from wealthy parents and when they died he received his inheritance. He then gave the money to the poor. In 2005 they sent measurements to a forensic laboratory. Here is a picture of what he looked like according to the given information.
Here are some pictures of saint Nicholas through history.
So how did we turn Saint Nicholas into the Santa Claus we see today. When the first Europeans arrived in the new world they brought Saint Nicholas to Greenland. Vikings dedicated their cathedral to him. Columbus even named a Haitian port for Saint Nicholas on December 6, 1492. In the 16th century protestant reformation did not look very highly on Saints and tried to remove him, but this was not successful on their part. The common people on the European continent loved him so much he survived and the people would put nuts, apples and sweets in the shoes left at bedside beds, windowsills and before the hearth. It seems as though it was the dutch people that brought St Nicholas to the new world. It was John Pintard who was an influential patriot and antiquarian that promoted St Nicholas as a patron saint of both society and city. He founded the New York Historical Society in 1804. In January 1809 Washington joined the society and on St Nicholas day he published the Nicholas character, which was an elfin dutch burger with a clay pipe. John Pintard had a printing done in 1810 of St Nicholas as the gift giving person. He was shown giving gifts to children placing them in stockings hanging on the fireplace. It has basically gone from there to what we see today.
Well I hope the information I have provided is interesting and helpful in some way this season. I just wanted to say Thank You for reading and Have A Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year. May God Bless.
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