tis the season

        In case you don't know, Christmas is officially upon us. To me, Christmas means enjoying the company of the ones that you love, and since I am deployed this year and apart from my family, I got to thinking about some of the characters of the season. Who then came to mind, but jolly old Saint Nick. I found it interesting that, I really have no idea the history of probably the biggest and most influential character in this time. So I did some searching, and not only did I find out the story of the actual Saint Nicholas, but I learned that I actually like him much more. For me, I like the idea of a man that does good and stands up for what he believes in, a man whose morals don't falter in the face of adversity, and this is the type of man that I found in Saint Nicholas. 

        The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara (found in modern day Turkey). His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his inheritance to give to those in need. He dedicated his life to serving God and at 30 years old, he was made Bishop of Myra. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity. Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, he was exiled and imprisoned. He spent ten years in jail and was released only after Constantine conquered the east and ended the persecution of Christians. Around this time, Arianism was on the rise, fathered by Bishop Arius,  Nicholas so strongly opposed Arianism that at the Council of Nicaea where he attended, he was reported with physically accosting Bishop Arius. 
        Throughout his life, Bishop Nicholas was known for offering gifts and candy to children who memorized scriptures. At this point, because of his reputation for kindness to children and the stories that surrounded him, rumors began to circulate about Nicholas. One such rumor tells of a poor man with three daughters. In those days a young woman's father had to offer prospective husbands something of value—a dowry. The larger the dowry, the better the chance that a young woman would find a good husband. Without a dowry, a woman was unlikely to marry. This poor man's daughters, without dowries, were therefore destined to be sold into slavery. Mysteriously, on three different occasions, a bag of gold appeared in their home-providing the needed dowries. The bags of gold, tossed through an open window, are said to have landed in stockings or shoes left before the fire to dry. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas.

       Saint Nicholas died December 6, 343AD and he was so loved that the day of his death became a day of celebration. During those days, animals would be slaughtered at the end of autumn so that the meat would be preserved throughout winter, which also coincided with the harvest. So to honor the memory of Saint Nicholas people would gather to celebrate his memory and feast together.

        This is what I would call the start of the legacy of Santa. There are many documented contributors to the image of the Saint Nick that we know of today and his image has changed quite a bit, but what hasn't changed is what he stood for, his ideals. I grew up with a Santa that works one day a year, lives in a remote place, is liked by everyone, and doesn't stand for anything. I like a Santa that stands up for what he believes in, even to the point spending a decade in prison for it. I like a Santa that gets into fights for what he believes is right. I like a Saint Nicholas that is a doer, a man that gets things done. I like a Santa that has his feet on the ground, rather than a sleigh in the sky.    

Thanks for Reading.
Phillip

*There were a few text links in this weeks story and I encourage you to check them out.