A very happy belated Birthday, Santa Claus! Sheila Johnson

 Did you know that the 6 December is St Nicholas' day, otherwise known as Santa Claus' Birthday? It's the feast day of St Nicholas of Myra. 

St Nicholas was born in Myra, Greece, now modern day, Demre in Turkey and is celebrated as the bringer of gifts.  

On this day of 6 December, there is also the tradition of investing a a young boy of 9 or 10 years old as a Boy Bishop. This is a tradition going back to medieval times which is still celebrated in some Catholic and Anglican churches nowadays.The young Boy Bishop is expected to faithfully carry out his duties in the church for a year. I remember my own village church, a St Nicholas church, investing the last Boy Bishop when I was about 8 or 9 years old. 


 

St Nicholas was a very devout Christian who used his life to serve God and to help the poor and the sick. 

A play about St Nicholas of Myra is often performed on this day, including the Boy Bishop in the cast. One version of the story is that of a Greek merchant whose valuable ships had all been lost at sea. He decides to sell his three daughters for slaves. St Nicholas hearing about this, leaves a bag of gold at the merchant's house one night in order to save the girls from this awful fate. 

Our name 'Santa Claus' is derived from the Dutch word for St Nicholas', 'Sinterklaas'. So you see, Santa Claus really was a kind man who loved to help the poor and give people gifts. Let's remember this as we get out our copies of 'The Night before Christmas' once again or one of my favourites for all you Jane Austen lovers,  'Mr Darcy's Night before Christmas' by Julie Petersen.



Sheila Johnson lives in Cheltenham and is a qualified journalist who has written for a number of publications both local and national. She has also written two books under her pen name Sheila Donald, Alpha Male and Waireka. Her website can be found at www.journojohnson.com


Comments

  1. I remember reading about the Boy Bishops when I was a child. Lovely to hear all this fascinating history and I hadn't heard about that particular Austen fan fiction! I will look it out.

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  2. It's a great take on Mr Darcy and Elizabeth getting together, Ruth. I bought it in our local bookshop. 'Mr Darcy's Night Before Christmas' by Julie Petersen, published by Gibbs Smith - a US publication.

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  3. when living in Germany, we always celebrated his feast day on 6th Dec with chocolate gifts in a little basket outside each door. I have never heard of the boy Bishop tradition, sounds fascinating.

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    1. It's connected with that day, Dawn. 6 December, being St Nicholas Day, is a day for giving like he did. Also a day for the Boy Bishop ceremony showing Jesus' support for children and for us to be humble like little children, although that's a bit simplistic but along those lines. It was practiced in Europe in the past too. Not sure about now.

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