Some people seem to believe that–or at least act as if—Santa Claus was born on Christmas day. Some claim that Santa is satan: just move the ‘n’. The real “Santa Claus” (derived from the Dutch Sinter Klaas) is really a Saint…
St. Nicholas, bishop of Myra (in present day Turkey) of the 4th Century… his feast is today.
He was a great defender of the Divinity of Christ and the Trinity, which was denied by a heretical bishop, Arius and his followers (Arians). It’s believed that St. Nicholas was at the Council of Nicea which gave us the Nicene Creed and refuted Arianism:
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father.
Interesting trivia about jolly ol’ St. Nick: during the Council he went up to Arius and clocked him in the face. Now we know the reason for the song’s warning “you’d better watch out…” and exhortation to “be good for goodness sake!”
The gift giving custom of Santa Claus is based on this account: St. Nick was said to have thrown bags of money at the window of a man who couldn’t afford his daughters dowry and feared the girls might be forced into prostitution.
Read more about him: