St Nicholas ... fact or fiction?

[RubyRose]

Whats the real story behind St Nicholas. It he where Santa Clause originated from?

[DragonLove]

check out www.stnicholascenter.org

The whole story is there.

[RubyRose]

Thank you ... I'll check it out

[cloud]

i remember reading somewhere that the idea of santa claus was also taken from a faerie. let me see if i can find a link to this..

[cloud]

"Santa Claus: Originated in Europe, Turkey, and Western Asia and he is also called St. Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, The Holly King, King of the Waning Year, and Sinter Klass. His element is air and he is found from Midsummer to just after Yule. This one-of-a-kind faery is usually portratyed as portly, with usually a red or green suit and sprig of holly in his hat. His portlyness is symbolic of abundance and he is always shown smiling and happy. This is a kind faery who ecspecially enjoys children. Santa Clause was origanially the pagan Holly King who reigned from Midsummer to Yule when the Oak King took over. He is usually included in the pagan pantheon of seasonal and elemental entities. Deer are sacred to him and elves are in his service. Later the Christians turned him into a saint and is the patron saint of Russia."

i have no idea how reliable that is, but i found it here. http://www.geocities.com/tragicpixie/faerydict.html (http://www.geocities.com/tragicpixie/faerydict.html)

[RubyRose]

Thank you, you just answered another one of my questions, which happend to be: Do Pagans worship or celebrate St Nicholas' Day on Feb 6th ... so I guess they do

[cloud]

:bouncysmi

[RubyRose]

lol yup

[Mòrag Elasaid Ní Dhòmhnaill]

Here is something I found at Encyclopedia Mythica that probably also pertains to the origins of Santa Clause...


La Befana or St. Befana is an ugly but good-natured old hag who leaves presents in the stockings of children on the eve of the Epiphany (the Twelfth Night) in parts of Italy and Sicily. In Christian legend, the tree kings passed an old lady on their way to adore the Christ Child. They invited her to accompany them but she was too busy cleaning her house and did not come with them. Later, she attempted to follow, but became lost among the way and never saw the Holy Child. Every year she comes looking for him. She visits the children while they sleep and fills their stockings, giving the good ones candy and the bad ones stones or charcoal.

The name is said to be a corruption of Epiphany (Epiphania), but parts of the legend pre-date Christian times.

~Aiy

[cloud]

Here is something I found at Encyclopedia Mythica that probably also pertains to the origins of Santa Clause...



~Aiy

ohhhh interesting. i went to catholic school for 12 years, and i never have heard of that.

[RubyRose]

Thanks guys, very helpful

[tinuviel42]

[/QUOTE]La Befana or St. Befana is an ugly but good-natured old hag who leaves presents in the stockings of children on the eve of the Epiphany (the Twelfth Night) in parts of Italy and Sicily. ... The name is said to be a corruption of Epiphany (Epiphania), but parts of the legend pre-date Christian times. [QUOTE]

Ah, it's not enough to have grown up Catholic, you need to have grown up Catholic and Italian (well, half Italian, in my case). It's one of the wonderful ironies of my life to have found out a few years ago that the story of La Befana, that I had been told every Christmas as a youngster, had pagan origins. :D

[RubyRose]

:lol: That is so cool