In Search of the Real Santa Claus

To commemorate this holiday season Ralph, Dennis, Michael and I would like to extend our heartfelt and warmest wishes to our readers the world over and to each of you a Merry Christmas and a New Year full of happiness and good fortune.

Today on Discovery Enterprise we go in search of the real Santa Claus with today’s triple video feature. 

The Legends of Santa

Santa’s image is almost universally recognizable as one of Christianity’s most enduring and popular legends, yet the seemingly timeless jolly old man with his bag of toys, steering his reindeer and sliding down chimneys, is a relatively modern image.

The Legends of Santa shows how today’s image of Father Christmas is a culmination of centuries of history and legend.

The legend of Santa Claus can be traced back hundreds of years to a monk named St. Nicholas. It is believed that Nicholas was born sometime around 280 A.D. in Patara, near Myra in modern-day Turkey.

Much admired for his piety and kindness, St. Nicholas became the subject of many legends. It is said that he gave away all of his inherited wealth and traveled the countryside helping the poor and sick.

One of the best known of the St. Nicholas stories is that he saved three poor sisters from being sold into slavery or prostitution by their father by providing them with a dowry so that they could be married.

Over the course of many years, Nicholas’ popularity spread and he became known as the protector of children and sailors.

His feast day is celebrated on the anniversary of his death, December 6. This was traditionally considered a lucky day to make large purchases or to get married.

Coca Cola Santa

The Legends of Santa 

'Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!'

Biography- Santa Claus

The modern interpretation of Santa has come a long way from Holland's Sinter Klaus of the 15th and 16th Century. Follow the spirit of Christmas through all his guises.

A celebration of wonder, enchantment and delight, Santa Claus is one of the most beloved figures in the history of mankind. Though old and enduring in his religious roots, Santa is equally an emblem of a secular spirit and the instant evocation of generosity, kindness and good will towards man. Adored by children of all lands, Santa indeed keeps the child alive in all of us and does so with humour and warmth, but not without an eye to the realities of a changing world. In fact, it is a testament to the importance of this symbol, that throughout the ages, Santa has prevailed intact - he is a citizen of the world.

Santa Claus continues to create instantaneous mirth and joy. He brings out our best selves and has given that gift repeatedly to generations of children throughout time. So, it is not only the "being naughty or nice" that's important, it is the imbuing of the idea of giving that makes Santa so special. This wonderful documentary is available on DVD from Amazon.com.

Biography- Santa Claus


The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus

A council meeting is held where the Ak tell the story of Santa Claus. It happened many years ago when the Great Ak (Alfred Drake) finds a orphaned baby in the snowy woods. He relied on a lioness named Shiegra to raise it. But a fairy named Necile, hearing of the discovery of the infant, steals the baby and hides it from Ak. The ruler agrees and Necile gets to raise the child with the help of Shiegra. She names the boy Clause. When Clause became a man, he learned that he must live with other mortals. So Clause set up a workshop and lived in a small village with Tingler an elf and Shiegra. Clause makes toys (the first a black cat, after a kitten he found), and the children love him. One day as he was delivering toys he is attacked by some villains. Clause ends up getting the toys back. When Ak sees Clause is valuable and must live long, the council decides to give him immortality. Thus the name Santa Claus is given to Clause, who now delivers gifts on Christmas Eve to good children. This wonderful animated film is also available on DVD from Amazon.com.

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus