Just who is Santa Claus?

The jumbled origins of the festive hero are rooted in historical figures

How can a single being bring presents to millions and millions of children around the world at Christmas? Well, as per DW, there’s a lot of faith involved. And faith also has a lot to do with what the Christmas figure we know today looks like.

Whether it’s Papai Noel in Brazil, Santa Claus in the US and Canada, Kaled? Senelis in Lithuania or Babbo Natale in Italy, the bearded gift-bringer is modelled on a third-century bishop, Saint Nicholas of Myra, the patron saint of children. And not just him. A good 200 years later, another saint with the same name appeared: Nicholas of Sion.

St Nicholas, the benefactor

Few historical facts about either of them are still known today, so their life stories have been fused together over the centuries, creating famous Saint Nicholas legends.

There is the story of the gold nuggets: Saint Nicholas is said to have saved three destitute girls from prostitution by throwing gold nuggets through the window of their house at night. That’s why Saint Nicholas is often depicted in art with three golden balls or apples. The bishop is said to have had a strong charitable streak and bequeathed his considerable fortune to the poor.

In contrast, the resurrection of three students who were dismembered and placed in a salt barrel is more likely one of the many legends of miracles with which the church has tried to keep people in line since the Middle Ages.

St Nicholas vs the Christ Child

The feast of Saint Nicholas is celebrated on December 6, the probable anniversary of the death of Nicholas of Myra.

That displeased the famous 16th-century reformer, Martin Luther, who had fallen out with the Catholic Church and thus with almost half the world. He objected to the Catholic worship of saints and wanted to link the Christian bringer of gifts to Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ. He wanted to direct people’s interest, especially that of children, away from the countless figures of saints and towards Jesus Christ. And so he replaced Saint Nicholas with Christ as the bringer of gifts, which was quickly accepted in Protestant areas.

Since the Reformation, the “Christkind” (Christ Child) has brought Christmas presents in Germany, usually on Christmas Eve, December 24, or a day later, on Christmas Day.

But the custom of Saint Nicholas placing presents in boots on the eve of December 6 did not die out either – after all, gift-giving can be traced back to the story of the three girls and the lumps of gold.

Nowadays, Saint Nicholas Day is still the main gift-giving day in some countries – like Belgium or the Netherlands, where the “Sinterklaasfest” is celebrated.

A sinister companion

In the 16th century, the benevolent Saint Nicholas was joined by a rather malicious antagonist. He was called “Knecht Ruprecht” or “Krampus” in southern Germany, “Hans Muff” in the Rhineland, or “De zwarte Piet” (Black Pete) in Dutch. He carried a rod made of brushwood and was supposed to punish naughty children.

To this day, Knecht Ruprecht accompanies Saint Nicholas – but now only as a sort-of-scary decorative sidekick. The chances of him actually beating children are zero; his real job is to help Saint Nicholas carry the sack of presents and otherwise just scowl menacingly.