Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary character originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring gifts on Christmas Eve of toys and candy to well-behaved children and either coal or nothing to naughty children. He is said to accomplish this with the aid of Christmas elves, who make the toys in his workshop at the North Pole, and flying reindeer who pull his sleigh through the air.
The modern character of Santa Claus was based on traditions surrounding the historical Saint Nicholas (a fourth-century Greek bishop and gift-giver of Myra in present-day Turkey), the English figure of Father Christmas, and the Dutch figure of Sinterklaas (also based on Saint Nicholas).
Santa Claus is generally depicted as a portly, jolly, white-bearded man, often with spectacles, wearing a red coat with white fur collar and cuffs, white-fur-cuffed red trousers, red hat with white fur, and black leather belt and boots, carrying a bag full of gifts for children. He is commonly portrayed as laughing in a way that sounds like “ho ho ho”. This image became popular in the United States and Canada in the 19th century due to the significant influence of the 1823 poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas”. Caricaturist and political cartoonist Thomas Nast also played a role in the creation of Santa’s image. This image has been maintained and reinforced through song, radio, television, children’s books, family Christmas traditions, films, and advertising.
Ho, ho, ho:
Ho ho ho is the way that many languages write out how Santa Claus laughs. “Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas!” It is the textual rendition of a particular type of deep-throated laugh or chuckle, most associated today with Santa Claus and Father Christmas.
From St. Nicholas to Santa Claus:
The real name of Santa Claus was Saint Nicholas or Kris Kringle. The Saint donated all his inherited wealth and used to travel along the countryside helping the poor and sick. One of the most famous stories is about the time he saved three girls from being sold into prostitution by their own father, by providing the girls with a dowry so that they could get married.
Over the years, Nicholas became popular for his deeds and came to be known as the protector of children.
December 6 is commemorated as Saint Nicholas Day. His feast day was traditionally considered as a lucky day to make large purchases or for marriage purposes.
Nicholas came to be known as Santa Claus because of his Dutch nickname, Sintar Klaas. A member of the New York Historical Society, John Pintard in 1804, distributed woodcuts of Saint Nicholas at the annual meeting of the society. The woodcut depicted how the daily life of Santa Claus was and it had a striking similarity to how people perceive him to be nowadays.
Washington Irving popularised the Sintar Klaas tales further in 1809 when he referred to Saint Nicholas as the patron saint of New York in his book, The History of New York.