THE ORIGIN OF SANTA CLAUS.
About A.D. 300 a boy was born in Lycia. His parents called him Nicholas, but—so the chronicles tell us—though that was a man's name, he preserved the nature of a child, for he chose "to kepe vertues, meknes, and simpleness, and therefore the children doe him worship before all other saints."
The modern child's Santa Claus is n Dutch contraction of "Sankt Nikolaus," "Sank'ni K'laus," and the saint's custom of giving presents secretly and in the dead of night is the development of a deed of charity he performed when he assisted three young women out of grave misfortune by tossing three wellfilled purses into their bedroom long after they had retired. Thus Santa Claus comes about when the children are asleep, and gives them their hearts' desires. St. Nicholas Day was originally early in December, but later it became indentiffed with Christmas.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19201218.2.59.9
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Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1920, Page 2 (Supplement)
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148THE ORIGIN OF SANTA CLAUS. Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1920, Page 2 (Supplement)
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