We all love Santa Claus, even as we get older the big man holds a special place in our hearts. Even though the jolly chap in the red suit with a lovely white beard is vivid in our memories we learnt something new and strange last week following a business meeting.

Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, Santy, or simply Santa are all of the names the big fella goes under.

Santa Claus saint nicholas santa claus

Santa Claus was not always red prior to 1931. He was many things from a tall gaunt man to a spooky-looking elf.

Pre-modern representations of the Santa from Church history and folklore suggest he is actually St Nicholas, also known as Sinterklaas who later merged with the English character Father Christmas to create the icon known to Americans and the rest of the English-speaking world as “Santa Claus”.

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