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| The REAL Santa |
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Why not tell our kids about the REAL Santa this year? The words Santa Claus are a corruption of the Dutch Sint Nicolaas. Saint Nicholas was a real man who was Bishop of Myra in Eastern Christianity. So, his real home was not at the North Pole but in a then Greek-speaking province of what we now call Turkey. He was well known for his generous giving of gifts, especially around Xmas time. One famous story speaks of his giving dowries to a poor man, so that his daughters could get married rather than turn to prostitution in order to survive. Often he would travel to distant villages with gifts of fruit and wood on a donkey, not any breed of deer. He did not have elves, but he did apparently save an Ethiopian boy name Piter from slavery, who was so grateful that he hung around as Nicholas' assistant.
Rather than being a pagan like Odin/Wodan and his "Black Peter" assistants, from whom we get some of our modern Santa Claus legends Nicholas is said to have destroyed several pagan temples. He was also angrily intolerant of heretical views, reputedly boxing the ears of Arius at the Council of Nicea. Funny things happen when tourists take over a town. The Turkish town of Demre, near the ruins of Myra, has two statues of Saint Nicholas. One outside the Church of Saint Nicholas is more realistic, but a much larger statue of a fat man dressed in red and white, and more recognizable by tourists adorns the town square. Why not tell our kids/grandkids about the REAL Santa this year? |
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| To add a comment to "The REAL Santa" |
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| December 10, 2007 |
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I am concerned about the popular use of Santa Claus ( Saint Nicholas ) that the main theme of Christmas ( JESUS CHRIST ) takes a back seat. Thanks for the authentic story of the original Santa. Merry Christmas! |
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| December 10, 2007 |
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I like the way its done in Europe - even if they do have a state run church system. St Nicholas day is celebrated with the giving of gifts (December 6) and on December 25, Jesus is celebrated. |
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| December 10, 2007 |
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Thats indeed a better way of looking at giving away gifts Dec 6 |
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| December 12, 2007 |
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Why are people so bent on ruining a child's xmas? why don't we tell our children all neg. and horrible things everyday. I celebrate christmas.....and tell my children that it is a day of joy, peace and love. a day to celebrate the glorious birth of our lord Jesus Christ. We take this day to celebrate everything that is good. Peace towards man goodwill to men. The world is messed up enough without having to ruin the belief of Santa Claus. Jesus takes a back seat only if you let him take the back seat. Pegan....aren't all celebrations of the holidays pegan? Valentine's day for example. Holidays are days you take out to remember and thank thoughs in your life. YOU are the one who adds Christ. If you don't teach your kids about Christ then they wont know. Jeez, people leave Santa Claus alone..........pick on some other holiday like thanksgiving. How the pilgrims killed hundreds and thousands of innocent indians and stole thier land in the name of religion and the white man. |
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| December 12, 2007 |
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Ragland, you are right. We ought to emphasize Jesus.
Gene, "state run" is not quite correct, I believe that "state funded" is more accurate. For instance, Germans pay 6% church tax which goes to the state church of their choice, Catholic or Lutheran (Evangelisch). If they do not belong to a state church, they do not have to pay the tax. However, you are right, many give gifts on December 6, but not all.
Ragland, Restore, Daughter, thanks for the comments.
Mersieme, interesting and positive thoughts. |
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| December 12, 2007 |
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| Grant, I stand corrected - state funded. The difference is potentially profound. |
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| December 13, 2007 |
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Gene, you're a real man.
Dark, very interesting. |
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| December 13, 2007 |
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| (I'm glad to be known as a "real" man - not one of those cheap imitation kind - maybe with lead paint and all) - lol |
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