Discover who Santa Claus really is 2016/12/22

Myths and legend about Santa Claus are told to all the children around the world!

But who is he really?

We have to go back a long time, precisely to the year 280 AD, in an ancient city called Myra, in the south of Turkey. The Christian cult had been prohibited until Constantine’s edict in 313, which proclaimed its lawfulness.

Apparently a bishop of Greek origins called Nicola traveled the city to spread the word of Christian religion giving gifts to children.

Along the centuries the legend got mixed up with traditions and cultures from different places: duties where assumed for the bishop, like verifying that children were well behaved and prayed before bed. Also he was associated with helpers, animals and elves that made the legend to be even more magical and special.

With the discovery of America, cultures and traditions were also brought to the New World, included Saint Nicolas.

Ignored by English puritans, on the XIX century Saint Nicolas story was recuperated and spread by writers and poets.

In 1882 Clement Clark Moore invented the story “A visit from Saint Nicolas” for his children, but thanks to the drawer Thomas Nast, Saint Nicolas adopted the form of a stocky man dressed in white, very aware of the children’s behavior and that he lived in the North Pole.

Santa Claus’s image was also spread by a known brand of fizzy drinks who dressed him in the same red as the brand. During the Second World War and US troops transfers to Europe, Saint Nicolas ‘came back’ to the Old Continent with his new appearance and took the name of Santa Claus, Père Noel, Papá Noel etc. according to the country.

Many dislike the created consumerist image surrounding Santa Claus, but us parents have been taking advantage of his presence since November… so… be good!