Today is St. Nicholas Day. It is always on December 6th!

There really was a Christian Saint Nicholas. He was born in the third century in what was Greece and is now on the southern coast of Turkey His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devote Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young.

Nicholas grew up and became a priest who lived his faith in full measure—he gave away his entire inheritance to assist the needy, sick, and suffering.

He also had a heart for young, poor, unmarried women whose fathers could not afford a dowry. Back in his time, the larger the dowry, the better the chance that a young woman would find a good husband. Without a dowry, women were unlikely to marry and were often sold into slavery.

Mysteriously, on three separate occasions, a bag of gold appeared at the home of single women in need of a dowry. The legend is that the bags of were tossed through open windows and landed in the stockings or shoes left before the fire to dry. This is the origin of the custom of children hanging their stockings by the fireplace, awaiting gifts of St. Nicholas.

Nicholas became the Bishop of Myra while he was still a young man. He became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his love of children, and his concern for sailors and ships.

Nicholas was neither fat nor jolly but developed a reputation as a fiery, wiry, and defiant defender of the church during the Great Persecution of 303, when Bibles were burned and priests made to renounce Christianity or face execution

When the Roman Emperor Diocletian ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, was exiled, and imprisoned. He was released and died December 6th, 343. The anniversary of his death became a day of celebration, St. Nicholas Day.

As is true with many if not all saints, many stories have been told of St. Nicholas intervening for people after his death. These include saving children from slavery, protecting sailors, and saving people from famine.

But after the Protestant Reformation began in the 1500s, saints like Nicholas fell out of favor across much of northern Europe. Then, during the early decades of the 19th century, a series of poets and writers who strove to make Christmas a family celebration—by reviving and remaking St. Nicholas.

Washington Irving's 1809 book Knickerbocker's History of New York  first portrayed a pipe-smoking Nicholas soaring over the rooftops in a flying wagon, delivering presents to good girls and boys and switches to bad ones.

In 1821 an anonymous illustrated poem entitled "The Children's Friend" went much further in shaping the modern Santa and associating him with Christmas. Here, there was no mention of religion—he was the magical gift-bringer, stripped him of any religious characteristics, and dressed in furs.

In 1822 Clement Clarke Moore wrote "A Visit From St. Nicholas," better known today as "The Night Before Christmas," for his six children. It was published anonymously the next year, and to this day the plump, jolly Santa described therein rides a sleigh driven by eight familiar reindeer.

December 6th is still the main day for gift giving and merrymaking in many parts of Europe. This simple gift giving in early Advent helps preserve Christmas Day to focus on the Christ Child.

So, what do we take from this lesson of St. Nicholas?

First, he was an amazing Christian. He gave his fortune to the poor, stood up for those who were disenfranchised, and defended the church and the faith. He lived a noble and good life. Second, there is nothing new about taking the Christian elements out of the Christmas story, This has been going on for centuries. And so, we must, as Christians, follow the example of St. Nicholas and uphold the Christian faith. We must do what St. Nichols did in his life and be the hands and feet of Christ—even in bad times. Third, we must follow the path given to us by God. St. Nicholas had wealth and used it. He had prominence, and used it. Most of all, he had a caring heart—a heart set on God—and he used it.

So, my reflection the St. Nicholas Day is to reflect on his good life—and to ask myself if I am using the gifts that God has given me and walking the path He set for me?

Santa Claus is a great figure. But, St. Nicholas was a true saint!

(Sources: Stnicholascenter.org, National Geographic, and holidayinsights.com)