CHRISTMAS

The Many Faces of Santa

"He had a broad face and a round little belly,That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly,He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself"
Clement Moore, "A Visit from St. Nicholas"

Santa Claus
Father Christmas
Kris Kringle
Saint Nicholas
Sinterklaas
La Befana
St. Nick
Pere Noel

On the night before Christmas, all across the world, millions of children will be tucked in their beds while "visions of sugarplums dance in their heads." When they awake they will check their stockings to see if Santa Claus has come.
Santa Claus has become the most beloved of Christmas symbols and traditions. The image of the jolly old elf flying in a sleigh pulled by reindeers and leaving toys and gifts for every child is know worldwide.
The history of Santa Claus begins with a man called Saint Nicholas, the Bishop of Myra in Asia Minor, in what is now Turkey. Saint Nicholas was know for his charity and wisdom. Legends tell of him coming from a wealthy family and giving all his money to the poor. He also was said to posses magical powers. He died in 340 AD and was buried in Myra.