| Around 300 A.D., a man named Nicholas became the bishop of Myra, a small seaside town on the western coast of Turkey. Bishop Nicholas used his enormous wealth to help the needy people of his pasish. He disquised himself and secretly visited the homes of the most needy, delivering food, clothing, and money. The people had no idea where the gifts came from. They simply thought that the Lord had answered their prayers. |
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| The most famous story of Nicholas's generosity is about a poor family who could not afford a dowry for their three daughters. In those days, if a woman did not have a dowry to offer at the time of marriage, she would not be married. Nicholas secretly tossed bags of gold into the poor family's home for each daughter's dowry. Although his identity was discovered by the father of the house, Nicholas made him promise that he would never reveal the secret. |
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Upon his death, the people of Myra picked up where
Nicholas left off. If someone recieved an anonymous gift,
he would say, "Saint Nicholas must have brought it!"
Italian sailors, who frequently visited Myra, took the story and teachings of Saint Nicholas to Italy. Before long, the practice of secret gift giving had spread. Wherever the story of Nicholas was told, generosity filled the hearts of the listeners. |
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| When the story reached Germany, the saint's name was carried into Holland. In the Dutch language, his name became Sinter Klause. Settlers then brought the tradition to the New World in the early 1600s. In English, Sinter Klaus became Santa Clause. |
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