The History of Father Christmas - Santa

In 280 AD in Patara St Nicholas was born.  He became known as the giver of Myra.  He would give his gifts at nighttime so that is identity would remain a secret.

St Nicholas, a Christian Priest who later became a Bishop would travel the country visiting people and helping people who were much less off.  St Nicholas was a wealthy man who liked to help people by giving them gifts of money or other types of presents.   St Nicholas wanted his identity to remain a secret so when he was delivering his gifts he would do so at night and all the children were told that they must go to sleep or St Nicholas would not visit to deliver his gifts.  Today nothing has really changed as all children must be asleep if they wish Father Christmas to visit them with gifts.

St Nicholas is particularly known for one of the most famous stories told of his gift bearing.  St Nicholas met with a man who was to poor to give his three daughters any money to get married, so while the girls had hung their stockings to dry by the fire St Nicholas climbed on the roof and dropped some bags of gold down the chimney and they landed in their stockings.  This is the story that bases the tradition of children hanging their stocking by the fire on Christmas Eve for Father Christmas to fill them with gifts.

St Nicholas in the year 303 was recognised for his kindness and generosity and was soon worshipped as a god by everyone.

In the 1500s people in England stopped worshipping St Nicholas and began to look upon Father Christmas as their gift bearer. St Nicholas’ popularity grew around the world where his name was changed and he became known as Sinter Klass.  Many people struggled with the pronunciation of this and changed it to Santa Klas, which in time became Santa Claus.  St Nicholas is now traditionally known as Father Christmas.

St Nicholas’ old cloak and jeweled gloves were replaced with a red suit and the clothing that we see in modern day images.