Nicholas was
orphaned at nine when both of his wealthy parents died of the plague. Instead
of using his money vacationing at a mansion on the Mediterranean--he'd
been there, done that--Nicholas gave away his entire inheritance to the
poor. And thus, the gift-giving legend lives on.
But how did the
stories of night-time visits and stuffed stockings get started? Nicholas
heard of a poor father unable to provide a dowry to attract suitors for
this three daughters. So, one night he tossed gold coins through the father's
window and soon afterward the first daughter was married. Nicholas returned
a second night with more gold coins through the window and the second Miss
was soon a Mrs. On the third visit, the window was locked. (Duh, Dad! Put
out some milk and cookies!) Undeterred, Nicholas dropped gold coins through
the chimney.
Well, you know
how rumors get started. Before long, people were talking about how he dropped
bags of gold down the man's chimney--and how they filled all the
stockings hung by the chimney with care to dry. Then people started claiming
that throughout the year, down the chimney, St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He looked like a peddler just opening his pack with gifts and words of
encouragement for boys and girls (and adults, too).
The earliest
legend, however, claims St. Nick appeared to Roman Emperor Constantine
in a dream to successfully plead for the lives of three condemned army
officers. (So much for the "you better be good" guilt trip of
the modern-day version!) The real Nicholas was a bit more mundane. He studied
Greek philosophy and Christian doctrine at his uncle's monastery and later
served as Bishop of Myra (now Demre in modern Turkey). He also served time
in prison during the persecution of Christians by Roman emperor Diocletians.
But the not-so jolly old elf was also disciplined by the church for punching
out a fellow bishop during a lively debate at the Council of Nicea.
Although Nicholas
died on December 6, 343, his troubles with church leaders didn't stop there.
The patron saint of school children, bakers, sailors, and pawn brokers
was stripped of his "St." by Pope Paul VI and the Roman Catholic
Church in 1969. (Patrick and Valentine were also given papal pink slips
at the time.) Perhaps the pontiff thought the tales of St. (I mean, Mr.)
Nicholas were a bit too gruesome. Legends include a sadistic butcher who
ground up three naughty little boys and hid them in a salting barrel. When
Nicholas came into the shop for a pound of wurst, the brats miraculously
leaped from the barrel alive and whole! (Watch for "Goosebumps"
to dramatize this as a holiday TV special.)
St. Nicholas'
remains, which are preserved in the Bari Basilica of St. Nicola in Italy,
still attract more visitors than the Arctic North Pole or even Santa Claus,
Indiana. (Okay, okay, taking small children to see Santa Claus' grave is
probably not a good idea!)
So, how did Mr.
Nick become a Christmas character? The Reformed Churches in Germany were
the first to incorporate the gift-giver into the celebration of Christ's
birth. Then the Dutch Protestant settlers imported the Sinter Claus legend
to New Amsterdam (later called New York City) during the early 1600's.
In 1822, Clement
Moore wrote the famous poem called "A Visit From St. Nicholas"
which begins "'Twas the night before Christmas." But as revisionist
historians tend to do, the seminary professor turned the godly defender
of the poor and helpless, into our current Marshall Fields' Santa "dressed
all in fur from his head to his foot."
Personally, I
think the real St. Nick coveys the true meaning of giving much better
than the imaginary Santa who drops in one night a year to give rich children
much nicer gifts than poor kids. No "Ho Ho" about it! Wishing
a real Christmas to all and to all a good night.
Copyright © 1997 James N. Watkins
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