The Legend of St. Nicholas and Santa Claus

Santa Claus was a real person who lived in what is today called Turkey back in the 4th century AD. The name Santa Claus comes from the Dutch word "Sinterklaas." He was a Christian bishop named Saint Nicholas. He was a very generous man who did, in fact, give gifts to children. In one instance, in an attempt to give money anonymously to a poor family, he dropped his gift down a chimney and it landed in a stocking placed by the fire to dry. Possibly that is what led to the tradition of placing stockings on the fireplace in order to have "Santa" put gifts in them on Christmas Eve.