The Remarkable Story of the Real Santa Claus

12/06/21 • 10 min

1 Listener

Santa Claus is surely one of the most beloved figures of modern times. But did you know that he was perhaps even more beloved long before he acquired a fur-trimmed red suit, a big round belly, and nine flying reindeer to pull his sleigh?

Believe it or not, the jolly Old St. Nick we know and love today actually took more than 1,600 years to develop!

For many years, one of our family's Christmas traditions has been a retelling of the history behind the colors and symbols of Christmas. Each year we start with the color green and the symbol of the Christmas tree, then we move on to the color red and Santa Claus. Santa really is a fascinating historical tale, one that starts small and then builds and builds and builds! I hope you enjoy learning the story as much as we enjoy rehearsing it each year!

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Here are some additional resources for you that can enrich the history of Santa Claus:

Patara, birthplace of Nicholas (via Google Maps)
St. Nicholas Center: The Story of the Three Daughters
Voice of the Martyrs: The Persecution of St. Nicholas
BeliefNet: St. Nicholas Resurrects Pickled Boys!
The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore
NPR: Why Does Santa Live In The North Pole?
Coca-Cola History: Five Things You Never Knew About Santa Claus and Coca-Cola
CBC Radio-Canada: The Real Story Behind Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Youtube: “Here Comes Santa Claus” by Gene Autry

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Thanks so much for listening to Better Mind, Better Life! I genuinely hope this content helps you improve your life in some way. Now it’s your turn to help someone else. Here’s how you can do that. Think of the one person you know who would most benefit from listening to this episode today. Now simply share it with them, and consider including an encouraging note explaining why you sent this episode to them specifically. You never know how that one simple act can help someone else have a better life! And please SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW and leave a review. That helps you never miss an episode and it helps me get noticed by others who are searching for new podcasts!

Believe it or not, the jolly Old St. Nick we know and love today actually took more than 1,600 years to develop!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here are some additional resources for you that can enrich the history of Santa Claus:

Patara, birthplace of Nicholas (via Google Maps)
St. Nicholas Center: The Story of the Three Daughters
Voice of the Martyrs: The Persecution of St. Nicholas
BeliefNet: St. Nicholas Resurrects Pickled Boys!
The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore
NPR: Why Does Santa Live In The North Pole?
Coca-Cola History: Five Things You Never Knew About Santa Claus and Coca-Cola
CBC Radio-Canada: The Real Story Behind Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Youtube: “Here Comes Santa Claus” by Gene Autry

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Previous Episode

The Amazing Story of the Christmas Tree

It’s difficult to imagine Christmas without decorated trees. But do they have any “redeeming” value for Christians? And how did the idea get started in the first place? I think the answer to the first question is a resounding YES! The answer to the second question is a LITTLE bit longer.

Believe it or not, the Christmas tree as we know it today actually took more than 700 years to make!

For many years, one of our family's Christmas traditions has been a retelling of the history behind the colors and symbols of Christmas. Each year we start with the color green and the symbol of the Christmas tree. It really is an amazing story, one that seems to make the most sense when we think of it as happening in three main acts. I hope you enjoy learning the story as much as we enjoy rehearsing it each year!

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If you'd like to read it to your own family, here's the written version of this podcast.

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Thanks so much for listening to Better Mind, Better Life! I genuinely hope this content helps you improve your life in some way. Now it’s your turn to help someone else. Here’s how you can do that. Think of the one person you know who would most benefit from listening to this episode today. Now simply share it with them, and consider including an encouraging note explaining why you sent this episode to them specifically. You never know how that one simple act can help someone else have a better life! And please SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW and leave a review. That helps you never miss an episode and it helps me get noticed by others who are searching for new podcasts!

Next Episode

Christmas Encounters of the Angelic Kind, Part 1

In the late 1970's Steven Spielberg introduced the world to a cinematic portrayal of one man's obsession with UFOs. In Close Encounters of the Third Kind, electrician Roy Neary (played by Richard Dreyfuss) is prepared to give up his life to pursue the truth about what he saw. The movie is considered a classic in the sci-fi genre and for decades has struck a nerve with those who've encountered things that seem to defy logical explanation. One such encounter happened 2,000 years ago to a priest named Zechariah, and the encounter would not just change his life, but all of history.

In fact, in the Gospel according to Luke, the good doctor mentions three separate encounters with angelic beings that are all critically tied to Christmas and the birth of Christ. And each encounter came with a message that matters just as much today as it did then. In part one of this three-part miniseries, I explore both the incredible encounter with and the powerful message of that special Christmas Angel.

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