Origin of Santa Claus
Santa Claus' origin is a long story. A monk by the name of St. Nicholas was born around 280 A.D. He was believed to have traveled around the countryside, while giving away all of his fortune, and helping the sick and poor. A feast was dedicated to him on December 6th, which is the anniversary of his death. St. Nicholas became the most popular saint by the end of the Renaissance.
It wasn't until the 18th century that St. Nicholas became popular in America, after an article in the paper stating how Dutch families honored him on the day of his death. The name Santa Claus came from Sinter Klaas, which was his Dutch nickname. By 1804 John Pintard handed out woodcuts of St. Nicholas filling stockings with toys and fruit.
In 1822, Clement Clarke Moore published a poem that was called "An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas" for his daughters. In the poem he called Santa Claus a jolly old elf, and described a sleigh, lead by eight reindeer, that was loaded with toys, on Christmas Eve, for all of the good children of the world. This poem gave him the image that we know today. In 1881, Thomas Nast created a cartoon of Santa Claus with a full white beard. Also, he included his red suit, sack of toys, the North Pole workshop, his elves, and his wife Mrs. Claus.
It wasn't until the 18th century that St. Nicholas became popular in America, after an article in the paper stating how Dutch families honored him on the day of his death. The name Santa Claus came from Sinter Klaas, which was his Dutch nickname. By 1804 John Pintard handed out woodcuts of St. Nicholas filling stockings with toys and fruit.
In 1822, Clement Clarke Moore published a poem that was called "An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas" for his daughters. In the poem he called Santa Claus a jolly old elf, and described a sleigh, lead by eight reindeer, that was loaded with toys, on Christmas Eve, for all of the good children of the world. This poem gave him the image that we know today. In 1881, Thomas Nast created a cartoon of Santa Claus with a full white beard. Also, he included his red suit, sack of toys, the North Pole workshop, his elves, and his wife Mrs. Claus.
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