From St. Nick to Santa Claus">From St. Nick to Santa Claus
Earlier today I recorded a 16 minute podcast that shares the wonderful history of St. Nicholas and how the story of this real Saint, who was martyred, became the current understanding of Santa Claus.
I talk about how St. Nicholas came to America and outline how Dutch settlers in New York, called St. Nicholas "Sinta Claes" to our English version Santa Claus.
Washington Irving created the mythological story "A History of New York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty" by "Diedrich Knickerbocker", which changed the picture of St. Nick to a more plumb Santa Claus.
From there a poet by the name of Dr. Clement Clarke Moore wrote a poem based on that previous writing which we now know as "A Visit from St. Nicholas" which is also known as "The Night Before Christmas".
Then a little girl named Virgina O’ Hanlon who didn’t believe in Santa Claus was told by her father to write the newspaper to find out if it was true. She wrote The New York Sun and on September 21, 1897 a column was written in response to her question "Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus!" - the author Frances Pharcellus Church.
And then the person, who you may know already, is Haddon Sundblom was the one who made Santa even more popular as he depicted Santa in Coca-Cola ads.
You can read more interesting history in Joe Wheeler’s wonderful little book Christmas in My Soul - published in the year 2000.
