Nicholas, Saint

Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)

Saint, a noted bishop of Myra, in Lycia, Asia Minor . His reputed sympathies were certainly broad enough; for he is regarded as the patron saint of the seafaring, of thieves, of virgins, and of children. He is regarded also as the patron saint of the Greek Church . December 6th is celebrated as the festival of Saint Nicholas. According to tradition Saint Nicholas was a charitable bishop. Learning that a certain poor man needed a dowry in order to marry his three daughters properly he is said to have thrown a bag of coin in through the window on three successive evenings, thus providing a dowry for each child. On being detected he begged the poor man not to reveal the name of the giver. In this way St. Nicholas became the patron of gifts, the St. Nicholas of the nursery who provides bags of presents for every child on Christmas eve. Santa Claus is a Dutch corruption of the spelling of St. Nicholas. The British and American idea of "St. Nick" is well expressed in Moore's familiar nursery poem: 'T was the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring,-not even a mouse. He was dress'd all in fur from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnish'd with ashes and soot; A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, And he look'd like a peddler just opening his pack. His eyes how they twinkled! his dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry, His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow. The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath. He had a broad face and a little round belly That shook when he laugh'd, like a bowl full of jelly. He was chubby and plump-a right jolly old elf- And I laugh'd when I saw him, in spite of myself. See Christmas