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Douglas Carpenter

(20,226 posts)
30. Actually - St Nicholas was a Christian Bishop in what is now modern day Turkey
Fri Dec 13, 2013, 10:50 AM
Dec 2013
Born in Patara, a land that is part of present-day Turkey, circa 280, St. Nicholas was a Christian bishop who helped the needy. After his death, the legend of his gift-giving grew. St. Nicholas transformed into the legendary character called Santa Claus, who brings Christmas presents to children around the world.

He lost both of his parents as a young man and reportedly used his inheritance to help the poor and sick. A devout Christian, he later served as bishop of Myra, a city that is now called Demre.

Reputation

There are many legends about St. Nicholas of Myra. One story tells how he helped three poor sisters. Their father did not have enough money to pay their dowries and thought of selling them into servitude. Three times, St. Nicholas secretly went to their house at night and put a bag of money inside. The man used the money so that one of his daughters could marry. On the third visit, the man saw St. Nicholas and thanked him for his kindness. He also reportedly saved three men who were falsely imprisoned and sentenced to death

In America, St. Nicholas went through many transformations and eventually Sinter Klaas became Santa Claus. Instead of giving gifts on December 6, he became a part of the Christmas holiday. In the 1820 poem "An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas" by Clement Clarke Moore, he is described as a jolly, heavy man who comes down the chimney to leave presents for deserving children and drives a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer. The cartoonist Thomas Nast added to the St. Nicholas legend with an 1881 drawing of Santa as wearing a red suit with white fur trim. Once a kind, charitable bishop, St. Nicholas had become the Santa Claus we know today.

http://www.biography.com/people/st-nicholas-204635

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Make believe Blanket Statements Dec 2013 #1
"...definitely NOT watching Faux news!" NRaleighLiberal Dec 2013 #2
She should know pscot Dec 2013 #3
I'm speechless.....n/t jaysunb Dec 2013 #4
Not real. Never mind about Jesus/white statement. Unfrigginbelievable. idwiyo Dec 2013 #5
teh stoopid iz strong in this one. Ilsa Dec 2013 #6
Married. nt arthritisR_US Dec 2013 #7
For the win. Warren Stupidity Dec 2013 #13
not her property. nt Raine Dec 2013 #8
Fairy tales? MattBaggins Dec 2013 #9
Cut her some slack. Megyn Kelly only see people of color when they are cleaning her office bluestate10 Dec 2013 #10
. . . not coming down the chimney on December 24th. hatrack Dec 2013 #11
...fictional characters? Blue_In_AK Dec 2013 #12
You know that she totally screwed the pooch when even the Freepers are making fun of her ignorance. Beacool Dec 2013 #14
"sitting in a tree, K I S S I N G" LadyHawkAZ Dec 2013 #15
I like that one! OmahaBlueDog Dec 2013 #24
If I said what I'd like to say Warpy Dec 2013 #16
Gonna push me out of my job in a year or so.... HangOnKids Dec 2013 #17
...both disgusted with Megyn Kelly jberryhill Dec 2013 #18
American Electric Monk Dec 2013 #19
Jesus and Santa brettdale Dec 2013 #20
...pigments of her imagination KG Dec 2013 #21
DUZY that be. Coyotl Dec 2013 #34
So what color is the Easter Bunny? Cresent City Kid Dec 2013 #22
Middle Eastern" Douglas Carpenter Dec 2013 #23
..or we could also say Mediterranean OmahaBlueDog Dec 2013 #26
Actually - St Nicholas was a Christian Bishop in what is now modern day Turkey Douglas Carpenter Dec 2013 #30
And, needless to say I presume, there is no Ms. Bishop Nickolas (without a first name). Coyotl Dec 2013 #36
Myths libtodeath Dec 2013 #25
'santa is a historical figure', yes megyn, just like the tooth fairy and the easter bunny spanone Dec 2013 #27
... who are also white! JoePhilly Dec 2013 #32
Playing Candy Crush underpants Dec 2013 #28
"...my next guests " Beaverhausen Dec 2013 #29
Jesus and Santa are women n/t Lil Missy Dec 2013 #31
"...both disappointed in you, Megyn!" n/t Tom_Foolery Dec 2013 #33
"Jesus and Santa are both alive and well. Yes kids, Jesus died once, but he's better now." Coyotl Dec 2013 #35
Dear ME-GYN: In case parents are forcing kids to watch your vile show--tell riversedge Dec 2013 #37
Natives of Provo , Utah ? pkdu Dec 2013 #38
Myths. n/t BlueToTheBone Dec 2013 #39
"...are a couple of fucking socialists. That Pope bastard too!" nt ProudToBeBlueInRhody Dec 2013 #40
Just out there distributing toys to kids who've done nothing to earn them at all OmahaBlueDog Dec 2013 #43
Fiction. (n/t) Iggo Dec 2013 #41
As real as Fox News stories. Arugula Latte Dec 2013 #42
Are sitting in a bar and in walks the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny. bpj62 Dec 2013 #44
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