Is Santa Claus part of Christianity?

Answer 1

In a way, yes. The 'Father Christmas' figure in a flying sleigh is not - as this depiction of Santa Claus is fictional and resulted from the mixture of Norse mythology and the Christmas story. However, Santa Claus, as any child knows, really exists - or at least existed a long time ago and his spirit still lives on. 'Santa' actually means 'Saint' (where we get 'sanctify and Santa Maria from) and Claus (pronounced Klowss) is the shortened form of the name Nicholas. So Santa Claus is Saint Nicholas. Nicholas was born in Turkey, was a devout Christian and became Bishop of Myra (hence his red robes as 'Father Christmas'). He inherited a large fortune from his parents which he gave, in secret, to the poor. Legend has it that he once left three bags of gold in secret for a father who had three daughters but who would be forced to sell them into slavery as he was too poor to marry them off. He did this by dropping the bags down the chimney where they ended up in the fireplace in shoes (or socks?) drying there. This is where we get our custom of 'hanging up the stockings' from on Christmas Eve. As a result of his good life Nicholas was made a saint and became the patron saint of poor people and of pawnbrokers - hence the pawnbroker sign of three golden balls (representing the three bags of gold). Many miracles were attributed to Nicholas including stilling a storm at sea, and bringing back to life three boys murdered by a cruel innkeeper. As a result Nicholas was made patron saint of sailors and children. So at Christmas, when we give and receive presents as a reminder of the gifts given to the Christ Child by the Wise Men, let's not forget that St Nicholas's spirit of freely giving - in secret - lives on in the traditional Santa Claus.