Many people celebrate Christmas with the inclusion of "Santa Claus".  But, did you ever think about how he became "Santa".

Well, "Santa Claus" is an American version of two other countries traditions.  You hear "Santa" called "Jolly old St. Nicholas" and probably never even think about it.  Well, "Santa" and "St. Nicholas" really are the same, even though how that came to be is a bit odd.

The name "Santa Claus" comes from a Dutch legend of "Sinter Klaas".  It appears that the tradition showed up in the US around the 17th century.  "Sinter Klaas" is actually the Dutch version of the legend of "St. Nicholas".

St. Nicholas was a real person.  "Nicholas" was born in a region that in modern day is called "Turkey".  He became a Saint through his unending generosity that started through the teachings of his parents (who died during an epidemic when he was young).  The legend was born from him providing to the needy, especially children during the holidays.

So, how did all that turn into the red suited Santa that we know today?  Well, that is actually quite recent.

In a poem called "A visit from St. Nicholas", which we now call "Twas the night before Christmas", St. Nicholas was described as:

"He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf. . . ."

With this description, Thomas Nast drew a cartoon of "St. Nicholas" in Harper's Magazine (1881) that portrayed him as described in the poem.  He also added that Santa had reindeer and lived at the north pole. (Which was mentioned before, but set in stone the "North Pole" bit)

We got our current, life sized image of Santa from our friends at Coca-Cola.  In 1931, Haddon Sundblom launched a Christmas ad that showed Santa in his bright red suit.

Rudolph the red nosed reindeer, was invented in 1939 by the Montgomery Ward Company in an advertising campaign.

So, our current version of "Santa" and his full nine reindeer is a very modern take on the tradition.