Saint Nicholas

Just recently the tomb of St. Nicholas, who inspired the Christmas legend of Santa Claus, was discovered underneath a church in Turkey.

Wait? What? Santa Claus is dead? Shhh, don't tell the kids!

Saint Nicholas, a fourth-century Bishop who lived from 270-343 A.D. , was a beloved saint who is revered by Christians all over the world. He became the Bishop of Myra while still a young man, being known for his generosity to those in need. His reputed habit of giving gifts to those in need, often in secret, gave rise to the legend of Santa Claus- a variant of Saint Nicholas.

-The commercialization of Santa Claus first began in 1920 Coca-Cola ads of the Saturday Evening Post. As Santa's popularity grew, the Post decided in 1931 that they should probably make Santa Claus appear friendlier so they gave his image a makeover. Today, this fictional Santa Claus is so popular dozens of movies have been made of the jolly St. Nick, and children of all ages still choose to stand in long shopping mall lines just for a chance to sit on Santa's lap.- excerpt from Restoring Your Soul through Christmas Movies