Where did the Santa Claus tradition start?
About sixteen hundred years ago, in the year 400
A.D., a man named Nicholas became
known for his generosity to the poor population
of his native Turkey. On one evening
around Christmastime, he had climbed onto the
roof of one family's home in order to
secretly leave a few gold pieces for them. He
dropped them down the chimney, not
realizing that the daughters in the house had
left their stockings hanging on the mantle to
dry. The gold pieces fell into the stockings.
Later, Nicholas became a bishop, and after his
death, a saint, thus creating the term we
still use for Santa Claus, "St. Nicholas". For
many years, his legend attracted a devoted
following. Gradually, however, the following dwindled
in most European countries. Holland
was the only country that maintained a dedicated
following. They referred to him as
"Sinterklaas", from which we Americans derived
the name "Santa Claus" when Dutch
immigrants settled in the United States.
Here is my quilt dedicated to the Old World Saint
Nick.
