Biography of St. Nicholas of Myra, a historical personage. (The story that he slapped Arius across the face at the Council of Nicaea appears to be urban legend.)
When he retired from his bishopric, he appears to have moved north, borrowing or causing the Father Christmas imagery. With the more severe climate, he found the heavy red fur-lined-and-trimmed outfit and cap more comfortable. St. Francis appears to have introduced him to reindeer as his ‘totem’ animal. And his compassionate nature led him to take in elves who had been made redundant and laid off as belief in such things dwindled, and give them rewarding, meaningful work.
The Americans really are there. Well, the ice migrates over the pole slowly, but it’s very near. You can see the movement here : every year they hammer in a new post at the pole itself. See here.
See here for a live webcam view at the pole station. Brr.
I notice on that page that he seems to be the patron saint of pawn brokers too. Urban legend?
Anyway, back to the OP.
We’re currently on the track of the origin of the association of Santa Claus and the North Pole. I hope to post something more definitive before Christmas Eve.
I’m nearly finished reading Stephen Nissenbaum’s The Battle For Christmas which I highly recommend, it’s just fascinating.
According to Nissenbaum, and several websites - one article, for example, it was the satirical illustrator Thomas Nast that gave Santa the North Pole as his home base.
I’ve learned so many things about the Christmas traditions from this book, I’m just amazed.
And, not to spoil it for anyone, but sniff, there is no Santa Claus.
Hmm. Oh well. I’m just learning about things I’d never really known about the origins of a lot of the things we associate with Christmas. Perhaps that’s why that book is so fascinating to me. (Yes, I’m a slow learner.)
If the one true origin is not known exactly though, wouldn’t the popularization be considered equally, if not more important?
