Saint Nicholas
Saint Nikolaos (Saint Nicholas), a parallel to Santa Claus in history, was the inspiration for the origin of Santa Claus. Saint Nicholas (270 – 346 CE), a pious Christian missionary, was the bishop of Myra, an ancient town in Lycia, which falls in the present day Antalya and Mugla provinces in Turkey.

Also referred to as ‘Nikolaos the wonderworker’ the bishop had a curious habit of secret gift-giving. The name Santa Claus, historians say, is an English derivation of Dutch word ‘Sinterklaas’.

Saint Nikolaos is revered by both Catholic and Orthodox Churches. He is also the patron saint of Amsterdam, Aberdeen, Barranquilla, Bari, Beit, Jala, Huguenots, Liverpool and Siggiewi. Santa Claus was declared the patron saint of Nieuw Amsterdam, the old name of New York City.

Believers observe December 6 as Saint Nicholas Day. It’s a grand festival for children in several European countries.

Saint Basil
Saint Basil the Great or Basil of Caesarea (330 – 379 CE) was the bishop of Caesarea Mazaca, the present day Kayseri city in Central Anatolia in Turkey. Bishop Basil’s love and care for the poor and the downtrodden earned him a special status among his contemporaries. He was also known for his affection and love for children. While Santa Claus in the western tradition derived much from Bishop Nikolaos of Myra, the eastern concept of Father Christmas is largely inspired by Bishop Basil.

Santa in Dutch folklore
The Dutch have a rightful claim on the origin of Santa Claus, since the English name itself is a derivation of Ducth ‘Sinterklaas’. The folklore of Netherlands has it that Santa Nicholas has a companion called Zwarte Piet. He is portrayed as a black man in colorful costumes and feathered cap.

According to the legend, Zwarte Piet was a devil who helped Sinterklaas to perform superhuman activities. The Dutch celebrate December 5 as ‘Sinterklass-avond’ or St Nicholas Eve, a grand celebration. It was on this day that Sinterklaas, after gaining victory over the evil, made Zwarte Piet a slave.

Every year, weeks before the feast, a grand parade is taken out in Netherlands to welcome Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet.

In popularity among children, Zwarte Piet is next only to Sinterklaas. However, Zwarte Piet is not remembered as part of Christmas celebrations.