This is probably the reason why these old traditions have been passed down from generation to generation and hopefully will continue for many years to come. But, where did the stories of Santa Claus come from?

Legend has it that St. Nicholas was a monk born around 280 AD in Patara, Turkey. Known for his kindness as the protector of children and sailors, he became the most popular saint in Europe, especially Holland. Early Dutch settlers to New York referred to St. Nicholas as Sinter Klass, (shortened version of Saint Nikolaas).

In 1803 an engraving of St. Nick, depicted him a little similar to the character we know today, with the background including stockings filled with toys and fruit hung over the fireplace. By 1809, short story author Washington Irving, in his book, 'The History of New York', referred to St. Nicholas as the Patron Saint of New York, which made the Sinter Klaas stories more popular. During the 1840's, New York merchants were advertising Christmas shopping using images of now familiar Santa Claus. Live Santa's began to appear in the large department stores for children to take a peek at the jolly friendly old man.

Magical tales of Santa riding across the sky on Christmas Eve in a sleigh, driven by eight flying reindeer and coming down the chimney to deliver toys for deserving children, was created by Clement Clarke Moore in a Christmas poem entitled, "An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas."

Santa's image we have today of the portly, cheerful old man with white hair and long white beard, wearing a red suit, trimmed with white fur, with a sack full of toys by his side, was created by political cartoonist, Thomas Nast. In 1881, his cartoon appeared in Harper's Weekly. Nast had also given Santa a wife, Mrs. Claus, and the elves in the North Pole workshop.

Although St. Nicholas is known as Santa Claus or Santa in the United States, in other countries he goes by several different names. In England, for example, St. Nicholas is known as Father Christmas. Christmas Eve traditions are pretty much the same as here in the U.S., except maybe some children leave a large stocking or pillow case at the end of their bed for Father Christmas to fill with toys, rather than put them around the Christmas tree.

Swiss and German children have Kris Kringle delivering their presents. Julomten delivers the gifts in a sleigh drawn by goats to the children of Scandinavia. French children know their gift giver as Pere Noel and in Russia, an elderly woman known as Babouschka leaves gifts for the children a little later than Christmas Eve, on January 5th. Italian children have their toys delivered by La Befana, a friendly witch on a broomstick.

No matter what the legend or traditions, each country is unique and as long as Christmas is celebrated in the true spirit of love, joy, giving and goodwill, then they are celebrating Jesus' Birthday in a way I'm sure He would be proud of.

Merry Christmas.

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