Santa has not always appeared the way we think of him today, nor has he always been associated with a frosty and snowy climate. In looking for the historical roots of Santa Claus, we discover that he is a combination of many different legends and mythical creatures. The basis for the Christian-era Santa Claus is Bishop Nicholas of Smyrna (Izmir), who lived in what is now Turkey. Nicholas during the 4th century A.D. Born into a wealthy family, he became an orphan at a very young age when his parents died of the plague. He spent the remainder of his childhood in a monastery, becoming one of the youngest priests of that order. Many stories abound of his generosity. Legends tell of how he would drop bags of gold down chimneys or throw them into windows, where they, quite coincidentally, would land in stockings hanging to dry by the hearth. He was particularly generous towards children.
He eventually became a bishop, and after his death, was elevated to sainthood. When the Catholic Church began celebrating Christmas, which was actually a Christianized version of several pagan holidays, St. Nicholas was incorporated into the season. At this time he was depicted as a bishop, with the miter, long flowing gown, white beard and red cape, and his fame spread rapidly during the middle ages. He has been the patron saint of Russia, Moscow, Greece, children, sailors, bakers, pawnbrokers, shopkeepers and wolves. In addition to being associated with Christmas, St. Nicholas Day is also celebrated on December 6.
So now how did a saint from the arid lands of the Middle East suddenly become associated with ice, snow and reindeer? Well, the story of Santa becomes more complex. After the Protestant Reformation, the new churches didn't wish a Catholic saint to be their gift giver, so each country began to develop their own version of St. Nick. Germany began to know him as the Weihnachtsmann, in England he became Father Christmas. When the communists took over in Russia, the Russians began to call him Grandfather Frost, and the Dutch now knew him as Sinterklass.
