Yes all this names above somehow reminds everyone on Christmas. But are they right?? What have this guys to do with the birth of Christ??? Nothing!
It started for me many years ago in Germany. Tradition has it in Germany that kids put out their shoe, or boot, or sock in front of the door on the evening of December 5th. Than when they get up on the morning of Decemebr 6th, the boot, shoe, or sock is filled with candy, little toys, even school supplies. And supposedly Santa Claus, St. Nick, Nikolaus, or some call him Weihnachtsmann filled those items.
Also in some families the “Nikolaus” comes to your home in the late evening of December 6th. he carries a sack filled with stuff. He has a “rute” which he might whip the bad kids with (never happened as I know of) and he has the “book” in this book is it written if you were a good or bad kid through the year. Of course the parent had already a meeting with Nikolaus prior to him coming to your house and he is well aware of the things you did bad and good. But for some reason the “good” always outweighs and than he tells you to pick some items out from his sack.
Trust most kids don’t want to get to close to him!
I remember one evening on December 6, 1966, I was 4 years old. Always when our doorbell rang I was the first to open it. Often my Mom told me not to do it, but did I listen? OH NO!
So on this evening the doorbell rang and again Iw as the first one there. Pushing the little button to open the downstairs door. Than of course I was nosy who is coming to visit. And here as I looked out in the hallway From the stairs I saw a tip of a red hat……………… NIKOLAUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!…………….
don’t ask me why, but I was so scared, I ran into our spare bedroom and was hiding until my parents came and got me out.
And I had to face the Nikolaus.
He stood there big and tall, and said to me
“What are you hiding for????”
I wasn’t able to answer.
He said ” Where you a good kid?”
No answer from me!
He said ” Come to me!”
My parents where absolutly of no help to me, he stood between me and my parents. So I couldn’t even hide behind my mom. Than he started telling me while he was looking in the book……”I heard you aren’t listening to your parents, when they told you so many times to stay away from that door. You always the first one there and let everyone in the house! Is that true?”
And I said “yes Nikolaus, that is true! But it wont happen again I swear!!!”
I remember this went on for a little while, but now over 40 years later I really don’t remember in detail his conversation with me.
But I do remember that I didnt want any candy, or toys from his sack when he told me to get some out.
I remember very much how scared I was. This big guy, with the “rute” and that sack, and this voice….his voice was very very scary to me!
But he wouldn’t let go of me, I had to come to him and pull out something from that sack. So after I pulled out the first thing, and wanted to leave, he told me to pull more stuff out. All the while I was so scared!!!
He finally left, and we never had another Nikolaus in our house.
I remember my Mom had to promise me each year after that, that she wont tell Nikolaus that I was bad, and that I didn’t want any toys or candies from him.
So my Mom made it a tradition after that, that on December 6th., we drive around in our car and watch all those Nikolaus’s when they went to visit other kids.
But still we put every year on the 5th a boot out in front of the door, and every morning of the 6th it was filled with goodies for me.
Of course one day I had a child, and when he was about 4 years old, I ordered me a Nikolaus. He called me the day before and got the report what my son did good and bad over the year. Right before his arrival he called so I could put the toys and candy outside and he put it in his sack before he knocked on the door.
And when he came and talked to my son, all this came abck to my mind how I felt and how happy I was when he left…HaHa.
And my son acted the same way I did………scared, sick to the stomach.
IT IS SO MUCH FUN!!!!!!
Now see here in the states Santa comes on the 25th to bring all the stuff, sliding through a chimney.
But in Germany our Christmas where we exchange gifts are on the late afternoon or early evening of December 24th. And those gifts are not brought by Nikolaus or Santa Claus….NO…..they are brought by the Christ Child “Christkindl”
And below I copied and pasted the ” The Legend of
The Man behind the Legends:
St. Nicholas is revered by many faiths and traditions and is honored and loved world wide. The man behind Santa Claus was a Christian Bishop in Myra, a seaside town in what is now Western Turkey in the early Fourth Century A.D. Upon this known fact have grown many legends. Legends are stories about a historical figure which often embellish and expand far beyond the actual facts, though they may contain some elements of truth. Bishop Nicholas is mentioned by Methodius (d. 311) and John Chrysostom (d. 407) in his Liturgy, and a Sixth Century abbot, Nicholas of Sion, is believed to have written his biography and about his miracles, many of which involved saving children from tragedy.
Perhaps no other saint has been as widely loved as Nicholas. He is honored by Greek and Russian Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, and even Reformed Protestantism. Justinian named a church for him in Constantinope in the sixth century and about 1000 A. D. he was revered in Germany by Otto 2 (whose wife was Greek Orthodox). When the Saracens took the city, the Italians moved his relics to Bari in Italy in 1087. He is considered the Patron Saint of Moscow as well as many other places. In the Middle Ages, 400 churches were named for him in England alone. His image was used on Byzantine seals and icons more than any other saint, and he was a favorite subject of medieval artist and liturgical plays.
Born at Patar in Lycia in Asia Minor, orphaned at a very early age, he was raised by his Uncle in a Monastery. His parents died of a plague, leaving him very wealthy - but he gave it all away secretly to the poor and the needy. This was done in creative ways. For example, he bought a carpet from a man at a ridiculously high price. Then he gave the carpet to the man’s wife as a gift.
The best know tale of his generosity concerns three girls whose impoverished father had no money for their marriage dowries, and who faced slavery as a result. Nicholas tossed bags of gold coins through girl’s windows at night. Some versions have him dropping the third bag of coins down the chimney. Each of the girls was able to marry as a result of these gifts from nowhere. Nicholas wanted to become a monk, but as a result of a dream where Jesus gave him a jeweled copy of the four gospels, he became a priest, tradition has it at the age of 17.
Nicholas may have made a pilgrimage to Egypt and Palestine. Perhaps on the journey home, there was a fierce storm during which he saved three sailors by appearing and stilling the storm.
The Bishop at Myra had recently died, and there was disagreement on the selection of a new bishop. During a time of fasting and prayer, came the revelation of an angel that they were to make a man named Nicholas, a stranger, who would be the first to arrive for morning prayers, the new Bishop. Young Nicholas was made the Bishop of Myra.
Nicholas was a good choice. He was known for his piety and zeal for the faith, as well as his concern for children, the needy and the poor. Some miracles were attributed to him and the nick-name the Wonder Worker as well. He would soon become known for his courage. He was imprisoned and tortured during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian and his Regent Maximan somewhere between 303 and 311 A.D., but Nicholas continued to teach even in chains, refusing to renounce Christ, despite imprisonment and torture.
When Constantine became Emperor, Christianity suddenly became the official religion of the Roman Empire in 313 A.D. Nicholas was released and returned to his flock. One of the oldest accounts of Nicholas has him saving three innocent soldiers who had been condemned to death by appearing in the Emperor’s dreams interceding in their behalf.
One miracle frequently attributed to St. Nicholas is the Children in the Brime Tubs. Supposably an evil innkeeper had murder three boys and hid their remains in tubs of salt. St. Nicholas was said to have restored them to life, and brought the innkeeper to repentance. It would seem that this story orginated through a misunderstanding of Icon pictures of Nicholas baptizing three figures in a large tub. Eastern Icons showed the principle figures as larger, and so the figures in the tub, being smaller were thought to be three boys. This miracle is frequently mentioned in the middle ages.
Soon after this, the Council of Nicaea met in 325 A.D. to deal with Arius and his false teachings about Christ’s Divinity. While the records do not show him as having attended, tradition suggests he was not only there, but had slapped Arius in the face for his heresy, was temporarily defrocked and then restored by miraculous revelation. If not there, at least, according to one account, Myra alone was untouched by the filth of this heresy due to the faithful teaching of its bishop, Nicholas.
Nicholas died on December 6th, in 342 A.D. That day has become his feast day. A European custom in the Middle ages was the election of a boy as Bishop on Nicholas’ feast day (Dec. 6th) who would reign until Holy Innocent’s day (Dec. 28th) when he would have to preach a sermon!
Another tradition of remembering Nicholas by giving anonymous gifts to children and the poor as gifts coming from him developed in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands - similar to the gifts given by of the Three Kings in Spain on Epiphany Eve (Jan. 6th). It is thought by some that this gift giving custom originally replaced a pagan yuletide celebration of Woden, coming on horseback with gifts.
With the Reformation’s break from Roman Catholicism, “St. Nicholas” became “Pere Noel” (France) “Father Christmas” (England) “Christkindl” (German Lutherans), “Grandfather Frost” (under Russian Communism - he was pictured wearing blue) and “Sinterklaas” (Dutch) - the mispronunciation of the latter in America became “Santa Claus”.
The fat jolly Santa with his red suit we know was the creation of an Illustration by Thomas Nash in 1864 and 1878, and Haddon Sundblom’s illustrations for Cola-Cola from 1931 to 1964, both drawing from Clement Moore’s Poem “Twas the Night before Christmas” in the 1823.
Though obscured by Santa and Reindeer and much of the modern Christmas celebration, behind the legends of St. Nicholas was a kind and pious man, who loved and served the Lord Jesus Christ, and who loved and cared for those in need, especially children, a man whose example we ought to follow.
I told this story at a church children’s Christmas party dressed up as St. Nicholas, with a long white gown; a red tunic with a green jewelled Bible (with an Orthodox cross) and three gold balls (with The Chi-Rho, Jerusalem and Latin crosses on them) sewn on as emblems, and with Jingle Bells on the hem; a white Cloak with red trim in the front; and a 12″ Bishop’s miter with a red cross and gold fish on the front - all home made. I also wore a Santa Wig and beard. After telling the story of St. Nicholas - gifts were passed out to the children.
Merry Christmas 1999 —- Barry McWilliams (eldrbarry) Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church, Lake Stevens, Wa
So now you know what Nikolaus aka Santa Claus means to me.
You all have a blessed Christmas Season!!!
Love Andrea
