Santa Claus or Father Christmas as some may call him is that jolly good fellow and bringer of gifts for children in the Christmas season. You all must have had about him, he is that popular.

As kids we were told he was from the North Pole, but where is he really from? What is his story?

The name Santa Claus evolved from Nick’s Dutch nickname, Sinter Klaas, a shortened form of Sint Nikolaas (Dutch for Saint Nicholas).

Various stories have been propounded to unravel the mystery surrounding Santa Claus, his legend can be traced back hundreds of years to a monk named St. Nicholas. It is believed that Nicholas was born sometime around 280 A.D. near Myra in modern-day Turkey. His parents were said to have died while he was still very young leaving him with a huge fortune. He gave away all of his inherited wealth and traveled the countryside helping the poor and sick. He was admired for his piety and kindness.

 One of the best known of the St. Nicholas stories is that he saved three poor sisters from being sold into slavery or prostitution by their father by providing them with a dowry so that they could be married. Nicholas’s popularity spread over time and he became known as the protector of children and sailors. He was also known to expected and rewarded good behavior from children.