THE HISTORY OF SANTA CLAUS

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 305, 23 December 1903, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE HISTORY OF SANTA CLAUS

In the calendar of childhood no name, perhaps, stands so high as that of San* ta Claus. He is old, but his age id "like a lusty -winter, frosty, but kindly." He is never seen except in childisK dreams, and yet he leaves delightful evidence of his visit, in the shape of stockings by the bedside stuffed with innumerable toys—long may he flourishl, The history of the legend is remarkable. Like so many other matters of dubious antecedents, Santa Clans (in his legendary and conventional character) yas "made in Germany." He is Saint Nicholaus, and the German form of his Nicolaus—has been familiarly abbreviated to Claus. The association of Santa Clans with Christ* mas arises from the fact that the feasii of St. Nicholas fefl on December 12,, and it was usual to celebrate it by giving toys to children, because ha wan their patron saint. What we really; know of him as a matter of reliable historical fact is exceedingly meagre. He was the Bishop of the City of Myra, in the early part of the fourth century. Beyond this nearly all is legend and! conjecture. He is said on one occasion to have stilled a tempest that imperilled a ship m which he was voyaging. Hence he is the patron saint of sailors. At another time, robbers in the City of' Myra had murdered three children Nicholas discovered the crime and finding the bodies of the children in a; barrel, raised them to life again. Henca, he is regarded as the patron saint of thieves and children. Thieves were long known as St. Nicholas' clerks. The phrase occurs in Shakspeare's "Henry "Sirrah, if they meet not with Saint Nicholas' clerks, I'l give thee this neck!" The universal tradition of the Eastern Church associates St. Nicholas very prominently with the great Coun« cil of Nicacea (to which we owe the Nicene Creed), which met in the yeap 325. "He figures in the traditional pig* tures of the Council," says Dean Stan* ley, "as the foremost figure of all. . . „ known by his broad red face and flowing white hair." The council was largoly concerned with the heresy of Arianism. When the delegates first heard .the songs which Arius had written (Thalia) for the purpose of popularising his speculations with the mob there, was an outbreak of indication! In the midst of it, as the legends tell, old Nicholas arose in fury, and smotg the archheretic Arius a mighty blow on the jaw! A quaint record.' Only, like so much that is picturesque in hie! j toiy. it is undoubtedly apocryphal.