THE REAL SANTA CLAUS

Santa Claus on December 26th

I hope you’re sitting with your feet up, content as you savor memories of your Christmas celebration. Because I love this time of year, I thought I’d give you a review of the book THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF SANTA CLAUS, as told to Jeff Guinn. Although it isn’t specific to west of the Mississippi River, this is a book review.

I added this paragraph to those of Jeff Guinn:

Saint Nicholas was born circa 280 in Patara, Lycia, an area that is part of present-day Turkey. He lost both of his parents as a young man and reportedly used his inheritance to help the poor and sick. A devout Christian, he later served as bishop of Myra, a city that is now called Demre.

I was relieved to learn the Santa Claus/Saint Nicholas tradition was not a marketing ploy concocted by Madison Avenue. While Bishop Nicholas, he really did go about giving gifts. Okay, he didn’t crawl down the chimney. Homes didn’t have actual chimneys as we know them back then. Many just had a hole in the roof, especially the poor to whom he donated. Not too cozy in bad weather.

Saint Nicholas’ first known gifts were to two daughters of a very poor man. They couldn’t marry without a dowry, but their father had none to offer. The father didn't think he could afford to feed the girls for the rest of his life. He was considering selling his own daughters into prostitution. Taking pity on the girls, Saint Nicholas either (1) tossed bags of gold through the window (the poor didn’t have glass in their windows) or (2) put the coins in the stockings the girls left drying by the fire each night. Thus, the girls were able to marry (and, hopefully, each got a second pair of stockings).

Saint Nicholas was an actual person who went around giving to the poor and helping all those he could. In other words, he did what we’re all supposed to do. 

• Remarkable that he did what he could in a time when the poor were looked down upon.
• Remarkable that doing what was right created so much notoriety and controversy and gave him a permanent place in history.
• Remarkable that we continue his legacy by giving to those we love and, hopefully, to those in need.

Saint Nicholas

Several sources report his death as December 6, 343. Over the years, stories of his miracles and his work for the poor spread. Saint Nicholas became known as the protector of children and sailors and was associated with gift-giving.

Whether you call him Saint Nicholas, Sinterklaas, Santa Claus, or Father Christmas, thanks for continuing his legacy.

I do believe in Santa Claus. I do! I do!

  

Mrs. Santa Claus - The First Lady of Christmas

The amount of Christmas lore we see, hear, touch, and taste at this time of year is staggering. We've got songs about reindeer, snowmen, the 12 days of Christmas, an elf who sits on a shelf, and letters to Santa. 

Little is known about Mrs. C ... that's Mrs. Santa Claus to you and me. who, in vivid imagination, is seen baking cookies with the help of her house elves in a cozy, dainty kitchen somewhere in their North Pole abode. As Santa Claus's wife, Mrs. Claus has been imagined as a stout woman, a little on the heavier side, with grey hair and spectacles...gee, that describes yours truly to perfection!

So, how much do we really know about Mrs. Claus?

But before Mrs. C. came on the scene, here's a bit about her husband. There is no mention of St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, having a wife. Yet as the 4th century Turkish bishop's practice of distributing gifts anonymously expanded and morphed over time, he has transitioned into a full-time behavior monitor, jolly elf, and bringer of toys.

 

However, even mythological love affairs don't just happen overnight. It would be centuries before Santa found his lady love. The first mention of Mrs. Claus appears in an 1849 short story "A Christmas Legend" by James Rees, in which a couple disguise themselves, angel-like, as travelers, and seek shelter with a family. As it turns out the two strangers are not the Clauses at all, but long-lost family members in disguise...thus, the legend was born.

Cover art from the Unremembered History website post by Ken Zurski.

Mrs. Claus is known to have lived during the early Middle Ages with Santa and was given the name 'Goody' which meant a good wife who took care of the house and Santa Claus. Her reputation was further elevated in Katharine Lee Bates's 1889 poem "Goody Santa Claus on a Sleigh Ride" when she demands to accompany her husband on his rounds and deliver the toys herself. 

It seems she had a bit of feistiness hidden beneath her red dress!  

People unanimously agree on Mrs. Claus's character. So, it stands to reason that since Santa Claus was a jolly character, his wife would be no different. She has been portrayed as an elderly woman, with white hair, spectacles and a red outfit with white fur trimmings. She was made to look like the perfect, caring wife who would wrap a scarf around Santa Claus every year, before he embarked on his long Christmas journey.

 

Mrs. Claus's role may have been overshadowed by the other important aspects of Christmas, but nothing can take away her pedestal as the woman in red waiting, on a night of celebration, for her husband to return from his long journey. The image is complete with her decorating Christmas trees and making cookies or gingerbread houses with her dear elves in the backdrop of a cozy fireplace.

Whether she goes by the name of Jessica, Mary, Anna or Gertrude, Mrs. Santa Claus has been a part of the oral and literary Santa Claus stories for as long as Santa himself, but she has been a quiet companion for several generations.

On behalf of Santa and Mrs. Claus, I wish you a holiday filled with love, joy, peace and all things that make you happy.

Merry Christmas!

My New Release!

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...and here's the link for the Christmas Quilt Brides series!

CLICK HERE

 

The Great Santa Claus Bank Robbery

I imagine you've all heard of the Jesse James gang, the Dalton gang, Bonnie and Clyde, and their many bank robberies, but have you ever heard of the infamous Santa Claus Bank Robbery? I hadn't until I started hunting for a topic for today's post. I wanted it to be related to Christmas in some way and thought of looking online for the first Texas Santa Claus. Imagine my surprise when several articles popped up about the Santa Claus Bank Robbery.

What??? I had to investigate that. Turns out the robbery occurred on December 23, 1927, in the central Texas town of Cisco.

The perpetrators were Marshall (his name, not a law enforcement officer) Ratliff, Henry Helms and Robert Hill, all ex-cons, and Louis Davis, a relative of Helms. The four held up the First National Bank in Cisco. The ensuing manhunt was the largest ever conducted in Texas. Eyewitness Boyce House wrote that this was "the most spectacular crime in the history of the Southwest ... surpassing any in which Billy the Kid or the James boys had ever figured."

Three or four bank robberies occurred every day in Texas during this period, and the Texas Bankers Association had offered a $5,000 reward to anyone who shot a bank robber during the crime. Making matters more dangerous for the would-be robbers, Ratliff had lived in Cisco before and knew he would be recognized . . . unless he wore a disguise.

Therefore, Ratliff donned a Santa Claus suit borrowed from the boarding house where the outlaws had been staying in Wichita Falls up in North Texas. His cohorts let him out of their stolen car a few blocks from the bank in Cisco and he walked up Main Street, smiling and talking to children who were excited to see Santa. The street was crowded with shoppers in the Christmas spirit. None thought it odd when Santa came walking along around noon followed by children. Ratliff met the other three villains in an alley and led them into the bank, still with children tagging after him.

The bank cashier said "Hello Santa" but got no response. A few customers stood at the teller's window making deposits. At this point, Ratliff's accomplice, Robert Hill, entered the bank, pistol in hand, and snarled, "Hands up!" The other two bandits followed him in, also waving guns.

Ratliff strode into the cashier's cage, opened a drawer under the counter, found a gun and tucked it under his Santa suit. Next, he ordered the assistant cashier to open the safe, and began stuffing money and bonds into a sack he had hidden beneath his costume while the others covered the customers and employees.

Not knowing a robbery was in progress, Mrs. B. P. Blassengame and her six-year-old daughter entered the bank wanting to see Santa. When she saw what was happening, the brave woman dashed with her daughter through the bank's bookkeeping office and escaped out a door to the alley, ignoring threats to shoot from the robbers. Screaming for help, she ran to city hall and the police department, alerting Chief of Police Bedford and many citizens about the robbery.

Eyewitness Boyce House said, "Police Chief G.E. "Bit" Bedford [was] a giant of a man and a veteran peace officer." Grabbing a riot gun, he headed for the bank, ordering officers to cover the building's back door. The chief stationed himself at the side alley that opened at the bank's front on Main Street.

Who fired the first shot is uncertain, but a fusillade of gunfire began, as many civilians with guns gathered outside the bank, perhaps eager to collect that $5,000 reward for shooting one of the robbers. A rifle bullet struck one outlaw in the arm and "spun him around." A cashier was shot in the jaw, and a customer took a bullet in the leg.

The robbers forced all the people in the bank out the door to the alley, where they'd left their blue sedan. Several of these people were wounded as they emerged. Most of the customers escaped, but the outlaws held two little girls hostage, using them as shields wile making for their getaway car.

During the alley shootout, Chief Bedford and Deputy George Carmichael were mortally wounded. Chief Bedford, who had been a peace officer in the area for some 25 years, was shot five times. He died on Christmas Day; Carmichael died almost a month later.

The robbers' escape from Cisco turned into a comedy of errors. First, they found they were low on gas because they'd forgotten to fill the tank beforehand. As they neared the edge of town, pursued by an angry mob, a bullet flattened one of their tires. Brandishing their guns, they commandeered a passing car driven by 14-year-old Woodrow Wilson Harris. They transferred the loot, hostages, and critically wounded comrade Louis Davis to the car amid gunfire, during which Robert Hill was also struck. Then they discovered they could not start the car because its young driver had taken the keys when ordered to stop.

By now, Davis was unconscious, so they left him in Harris's car and moved back to the first car with their two hostages. They did not realize until later that they had left the money behind with Davis. They had stolen $12,400 in cash and $150,000 in nonnegotiable securities.

The mob of citizens found Davis and the money and temporarily suspended the chase. They returned the money to the bank, which sustained at least 200 bullet holes during the robbery. Besides the two police officers, six townspeople had been wounded in the shootout. Davis, who joined the gang at the last minute, had never before committed a crime. He was taken to a Fort Worth hospital and treated but died from his wounds.

The remaining three robbers had raced out on Main Street, firing at their pursuers. They swung east on a dirt road and escaped into a pasture, dodging cactus, mesquite and scrub oak until the growth became impassable. Forced to abandon their bullet-riddled car a few miles from town, they continued on foot, leaving the two young hostages behind.

Sheriff John Hart of Eastland, the county seat, was called in. He and his deputies raced to the spot where the bandits had abandoned their car. Reporters, including Boyce House, followed in another vehicle. By House's account, "officers and citizens poured in from all that section of the state and such a manhunt as Western Texas had never seen before was soon in progress ... Many members of the posse were on horseback or on foot as they beat their way through clumps of trees, searched high grass in the bottoms of ravines and peered around boulders in canyons."

Bloodstained rags and garments were discovered, but the fugitives evaded search parties and stole another car the next morning. However, after a week, the manhunt finally succeeded in capturing the three bank robbers. Ratliff was described as a "walking arsenal," bearing six gunshot wounds and six pistols when captured, including the one he took from the bank. "Santa" had been caught, and after killing one of his jailers in an attempt to escape from the Eastland County jail, he was dragged out by a furious mob and lynched.

One sad result of the Yuletide crime was its effect on small children in the area. On Christmas Eve, a church in Eastland was filled with worshippers. When jolly Saint Nicholas entered, a little boy called out in a quivering voice, "Santa Claus, why did you rob that bank?"

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Ho, Ho, Ho!

HISTORY OF CHRISTMAS ELVES By Cheri Kay Clifton

During Christmas, does one of these little fellas occupy a place in your home? I’ve always had an elf or two either sitting on our mantel, hanging from a light fixture, or perched on a Christmas tree limb.

Have you ever wondered when and where these tiny folks first appeared and how they evolved into cute little creatures dressed in green or red with large, pointy ears and pointy hats?

After doing some research, I found there is a lot of conjecture as to the origin of elves, although most folklorists believe they date back to ancient history. Ancient Norse mythology refers to the ‘alfar’, also know as “hidden folk.” The Scandinavian and Celtic cultures had myths of fairies, elves and nature spirits. Interestingly enough, most folklore of that time depicted elves as more naughty than nice, more mischievous than merry.

The Scandinavians and Celts weren’t the only Europeans who believed in supernatural species. Germans had their dwarves and little sprites called kobolds. Scots had house spirits called brownies.

The word, “elf,” derives from the ancestral language of German and Old English and dates as far back as 500 A.D.

The transition of elf myth to Christmas tradition is difficult to explain. Clearly originating from pagan roots, many countries participated in seasonal celebrations, many of which took place during the winter solstice. Centuries of elf traditions merged with the traditions of Christmas.

The association of Santa Claus with elves could well be linked from the phrasing of Clement Moore’s 1823 poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” better known today as “The Night Before Christmas.” That poem refers to Santa Claus as a “right jolly old elf.”

Godey's Ladies Book

Harper's Weekly

Louisa May Alcott later wrote a book that was called “Christmas Elves” and a popular publication of the times, Godey’s Ladies Book published art work of Santa and his tiny elves. During the 19^th Century, many writers were inspired by the elf link to Christmas. In 1857, Harper’s Weekly published a poem called “The Wonders of Santa Claus,” which tells of the elves working for Santa and making toys and sugar plums to fill children’s stockings.

In 1922, famed artist Norman Rockwell released his painting of an exhausted Santa surrounded by busy elves finishing a dollhouse in time for Christmas.

Through the decades, movies have depicted elves helping Santa prepare for Christmas, some quite unconventional, such as the "misft" elf named Hermey in 1964’s classic TV special, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” and in the 2003 movie, “Elf,” starring Will Ferrell.

The trademarked “Elf on a Shelf” started in 2005 when author Carol Aebersold self-published a tale of a little elf sent by Santa to report on children’s behavior leading up to Christmas.

Although Santa Claus will always hold top billing, in the USA, Canada, and Great Britain, diminutive elves clad in green and red also add to the magic of children’s Christmas traditions.

Amazon

Cheri's web site

Christmas Magic by Sarah J. McNeal

There is a certain magic in childhood surrounding Christmas. As a kid, I really and truly with all my heart believed in Santa Claus. As sure as the world Santa was coming to my house in his sleigh with his 8 reindeer loaded up with the presents I yearned to have on Christmas day. Belief is a powerful thing. People have conquered nations because they had a deep belief in something.

Mom and me when I was 3 on my grandmother's farm in PA 

I bugged my mother every day from December first until Christmas day with "Is it Christmas yet?" She must have had the patience of Mother Teresa to make it through the month without snapping.
Like most 5 year old kids, the excitement and anticipation for me was almost more than I could bear.
I remember going to the Sears and Roebuck department store and entering the Toy Section. It was a place where wishes were certain to come true. I went into sensory overload gazing at all the wonderful toys on display. And then there was Santa sitting there on his red throne ready to make my dreams comes true in spite of the fact that my parents said I couldn't have everything on my list. My sister and I tried not to fall asleep on Christmas Eve so we could get to see Santa. In spite of our best intentions we never made it.

 My sister, Mary, and me on our first Christmas in NC

Eventually, the time came when I turned 8 and the cynic in me awoke. Rumors began to float about school from other kids that there was no Santa, that it was just our parents buying and putting those toys under the tree. Say it isn't so! My sister and I decided to launch an investigation. If our parents bought those presents, they must  be hiding them somewhere. So we searched the house top to bottom until, finally, we arrived at their bed. One look under that bed revealed the harsh truth. Mom and Pop were Santa. Our discovery left me feeling a little adrift and empty for a short while.
Of course, I couldn't go on believing in Santa forever, but I wished I could have held on just one more year before the magic evaporated. Naturally, I made the necessary adjustments to my Christmas strategies once I knew my parents were the ones buying the gifts. A kid would have to be crazy not to try a few cons and work on some brown-nosing techniques to get parents to buy certain gifts. Unfortunately, my parents were impervious to persuasion and manipulation. Christmas was still fun, but different from the time when I "believed."
As an adult I can see why parents like to keep the myth of Santa alive because, through children and their innocent enthusiasm, we regain some of that special magic that Christmas once held for us.
I wish each of you a wonderful Christmas Season filled with the love of friends and family, good food, and perhaps a touch of magic.

Sarah J. McNeal is a multi-published author of several genres including time travel, paranormal, western and historical fiction. She is a retired ER and Critical Care nurse who lives in North Carolina with her four-legged children, Lily, the Golden Retriever and Liberty, the cat. Besides her devotion to writing, she also has a great love of music and plays several instruments including violin, bagpipes, guitar and harmonica. Her books and short stories may be found at Prairie Rose Publications and its imprints Painted Pony Books, and Fire Star Press. Some of her fantasy and paranormal books may also be found at Publishing by Rebecca Vickery and Victory Tales Press. She welcomes you to her website and social media:

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 MERRY CHRISTMAS!

COWBOY'S NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

By David Kelley

'Twas just before Santy came, the story is told.
Cattle weren't stirrin', fact they's bunched against the cold.
The tack was hung near the chuckwagon with care.
Why, we didn't know Santy was close anywhere.

Cowboys on the ground were wishin' for their beds,
While nightmares of wild steers ran through their heads.
'Tween now and the next gather, we needed a nap.
Cookie had just finished, and tied down the flap.

When out past the cavvy, there rose such a fuss,
I sprang to my feet, leavin' the bedroll a muss,
And grabbin' my shotgun and my ragged ol' hat,
I run t'ward the racket thinkin' "...what'n thunder's that?"

When thoughts of amazement through my head courses,
It was a buckboard teamed up with draft horses.
A driver in red buckskins, so spry and dainty,
I know'd in an instant, it must be ol' Santy.

Quicker than jackrabbits, them horses they came,
And, he's shoutin' commands to each one by name...
"Get a step, Joe! One more, Prince! On, Big Ed!
Pick it up, Sam! Tighten up, Lou! On, Old Ned!

Don't spook the cavvy, back away from them pens,

You're a pullin' this wagon like a bunch of ol' hens!
Now, when I haul on these lines I mean to stop.
Hold up in this cow-camp like a ton of cow flop!"

They sat down in their riggin', like I knew they would,
With a wagon of goodies ... made of leather and wood.
Then, in a twinklin' with no further delay,
He said, "Back it up, boys, this here ain't no sleigh".

I couldn't believe my ears, and lookin' around,
Off that wagon ol' Santy came with a bound.
He was short, and his chaps reached near to his toes.
He was happy and fat, with a little red nose.

There was a ton of packages and some new tack,
And, ol' Santy was carryin' it all on his back.
His eyes sort of bloodshot, much like a cherry,
From 'rastlin' them horses clean across the prairie.

His lips was plumb puckered, his mouth drawn and droll,
(Mine got that way, the day I swallered my Skoal.)
He was holdin' a piggin' string tight in his teeth,
Not fer' tie down, but for tyin' 'up' a fine wreath.

His head was too big and he had a round belly,
No doubt derived from eatin' Texas Chili.
He's chubby and plump all right, I'd say quite jolly.
I laughed plumb out loud when I seen him, by golly.

He winked his bloodshot eye, and spat 'tween his lips,
And, it made me to know we were all in the chips.
He weren't much for chatter, just done what was due,
Givin' presents and goodies to the whole darn crew.

Then, he stuck his finger in his wee little ear,
Wallered it around and said, "We're through bein' here".
He fled to the wagon, and his team called 'em up,
"Come on you swaybacks ... what's the dag-burn holdup?

We won't be back till next year 'cause we're flat broke.
Merry Christmas, my eye, I just busted a spoke!"

About the Author 

Howdy! my name is David Kelley, and I was born in the panhandle of Texas in 1943, west of Lubbock, Tx., in the thriving metropolis of Levelland, Tx.. Yes Margaret, there really is such a place as Levelland. I’ve been writing cowboy poetry off and on for twenty years, mostly off. I came to know some of the older lingo, due to my surroundings, and as I got into poetry, it just came natural to write the way I talked. I came by most of my stories honestly, by the limited experiences I've had, and the fact that one side of the family was almost all cowboys. I spent a good deal of time as a child on The Pitchfork Ranch, (as we called it back then, actually The Pitchfork Land & Cattle Company) near Guthrie, Texas. I had a dear uncle who was the "Farm Camp Manager" for the "Pitchfork" for years. He and his brothers, Porter, Jack, and his dad, King David Myers, cowboy'd all around the Caprock area of Texas all their lives. They're all dead now and I felt an obligation to put some of their stories, as well as some of my own, down for my kids, and others who might be interested. Some of my wife's family are subjects of my poetry as well. I feel blessed and honored by the interest in my work thus far. I have made every attempt to be accurate, and authentic, as well as informative and entertaining. It is my desire that you would see our poetry as your introduction to the past, and to the future as well. My attempt in writing this poetry is to immortalize the working cowboy lifestyle, and his forefathers. While the cowboy is not perfect, he certainly embodies the spirit of goodness and fair play that we could all use in this imperfect world we live in.

I write about the working cowboy because I should have been one, and blew my chance, and because folks on the street today need to remember what the cowboys down through history have done for them.  I write about the working cowboy, and perform at gatherings when I get the opportunity, because it's one of the last forms of entertainment, void of the filth and garbage in most other forms of entertainment today.  I write so little Johnny down the street can find out about his grandpa, or uncle, in an amusing, or even a serious way, without having to wade through trash to get there.

Graphics from CanStockPhoto

History of the American Christmas by Paty Jager

A true American Christmas is a convergence of many nationalities, traditions, and the work of authors and illustrators.

In American in the 1600’s the Puritans made it illegal to mention St. Nicholas and people weren’t allowed to exchange gifts, light a candle, or sing Christmas carols.

The Dutch immigrants in the 17^th century brought with them the legend of Sinter Klaas. It was 1773 when the first Santa appeared in the media as St. A. Claus.

public domain photo

In 1804 The New York Historical Society was founded with St. Nicholas as its patron saint and the members engaged in the Dutch practice of gift giving.

Washington Irving under the pseudonym, Diedrick Knickerbocker, wrote the book, “A History of New York” in 1809. In the book he had Saint Nicholas riding a horse down the street.  Later, in 1812 he revised the book with Santa riding a wagon over the tops of trees.

A poem titled “Santa Claus” by William Gilley in 1821 noted Santa was dressed in fur and drove a sleigh drawn by one reindeer.

Dentist Clement Clarke Moore has been attributed to the 1822 poem  “An account of a Visit From Saint Nicholas” also known as “The Night Before Christmas” In this poem Santa is portrayed as an elf with a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer. The reindeer are named and attributes are given to Santa that later end up in many drawings, sketches and paintings of the jolly old elf.

The first merchant to commercialize Santa was J.W. Parkinson of Philadelphia. in 1841 he hired a man to dress up in a “Criscringle” outfit and climb the chimney of his store.

In 1863 illustrator Thomas Nast started creating images of Santa for the Christmas editions of Harpers Magazine. He continued to entertain Americans with his images through the 1890’s.

The first example of psychological warfare was instituted by Abraham Lincoln in the 1860’s when he commissioned Nast to create drawings of Santa supporting the union soldiers. In the early half of the 1800’s the Northern states didn’t believe in celebrating Christmas, but the Southern states celebrated the event as part of the Social Season with Alabama in 1836 and Louisiana and Arkansas in 1838 making Christmas a legal holiday.

In 1870 Christmas became an American Federal Holiday. At that time, all Americans embraced Christmas changing it from a day of partying or silence to a family and religious day when peace and nostalgia were the themes. It wasn’t until the 20^th century that the holiday became commercialized to the extent it is today.

My favorite part of Christmas is giving and because of that anyone who reads this post can go to Smashwords and download for free with this coupon number HN52E my recent release Secrets of a Mayan Moon. This coupon is only good through Dec. 20th. 

Merry Christmas!

www.patyjager.net

www.patyjager.blogspot.com

DO YOU BELIEVE IN SANTA CLAUS?

By Caroline Clemmons

Here in North Central Texas, we’re prepared for what the weather forecaster says is a "cold front." Brrr. Where I'm from in West Texas, it's called, "Nothing between us and the North Pole but a barbed wire fence," because strong north winds chill as if coming off the frozen North Pole. How do those people in Siberia tolerate living there?

Ah, well, that’s a problem for another day. The good thing about this weather is that it makes Christmas seem nearer.  Heavens, it IS near and careening toward us like the fictional train, the Polar Express. Yikes!

But this is my favorite week of the entire year! I love the excitement,  anticipation, and preparations for Christmas. Our tree looks lovely and our house is decorated. But there's the candymaking to finish and more cookies to bake...How will I get everything done by Christmas Eve? Either I’ll be late with some things for this year—or maybe I’ll be very early for next year.

Saint Nicholas

I'm not the only one who loves this week of the year. Old and young are counting off the days until Santa arives.

You do believe in Santa, don't you?

Did you know Saint Nicholas or Nikolaos was a real person? He was the Bishop of Myra (part of present day Turkey) in the fourth century. Imprisoned and beaten for his faith, he was finally released and even attended the famous Council of Niceaea in 345 AD. Appropriately for the "jolly old Saint Nicholas" he's become, he's especially revered for his protection of children. Many stories are of him saving a child or children. Sailors also pray to him for protection. His Saint Day is celebrated on December 6th. He's also referred to as Nicholas the Wonderworker.

But wait...this is not a religious blog! Sweethearts of the West is a western blog. Although it's true Santa Claus is not strictly western, Jeff Guinn certainly is.

Jeff Guinn

Jeff is a full-time novelist now, but for many years he was a teacher and Books Editor for The Fort Worth Star Telegram. His is not a new book, but came out in 2003. In fact, Jeff Guinn now has three follow-up books available on Santa and Mrs. Claus, as well as many other novels on western history. I read this first of the Santa series several years ago. Don’t worry, this review does not contain spoilers. ;-)
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF SANTA CLAUS, AS TOLD TO JEFF GUINN.

I was relieved to learn from this autobiography that the Santa Claus/Saint Nicholas tradition was not merely a marketing ploy concocted by Madison Avenue. But they do make the most of Santa Claus, don't they?

There really was a Saint Nicholas! And he really did go about giving gifts! Okay, he didn’t crawl down chimneys. That part is not true. Homes didn’t even have actual chimneys as we know them back then. Many just had a hole in the roof. Not too cozy in bad weather!

Saint Nicholas’ first known gifts were to the daughters of a very poor man. They couldn’t marry without a dowry, but their father had none to offer. The girls only had one pair of stockings each, so every night they washed their stockings and hung them by the fire to dry overnight. Taking pity on the girls, Saint Nicholas either (1) tossed bags of gold through the window or (2) put the coins in the stockings the girls left drying by the fire. Thus, the girls were able to marry (and, hopefully, each acquired a second pair of stockings!).

[Note: *For a possible second part of the story of gold in the stockings, please refer to the December 12th post by Paty Jager.]

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF SANTA CLAUS is a good book to read to children at the age where they harbor doubts about Santa, but I also enjoyed this book. I like the fact that Saint Nicholas continually worked to better the lives of those with whom he came in contact. I like the fact that this good man has become a saint whose life is still celebrated. I love that he tried to help people in secret rather than seek recognition.

Saint Nicholas went around giving to the poor and helping all those he could. In other words, he did what we’re all supposed to do.

Remarkable that he did what he could in a time when the poor were looked down upon and mistreated. Oh, wait, they often still are. aren't they?

Remarkable that doing what was right created so much notoriety and controversy, yet gave him a permanent place in history.

Remarkable that we continue his legacy by giving to those we love and, hopefully, also to those in need.

Whether you call him Saint Nicholas, Santa Claus, or Father Christmas, thanks for continuing his legacy by sharing with others.

I do believe in Santa Claus! His spirit lives on in the good works of people like you, dear readers.

Whether you celebrate Christmas or Hannukkah, here's hoping you and yours have a wonderful holy season!