Santa's origins go back more than 2,000 years, but it took centuries of poetic embellishment and a few things lost in translation before the Santa that we know today emerged. The legend begins with a real figure, Saint Nicholas, a 4th century monk in what is now Turkey, who is famous for his kindness. It's said that he gave away his wealth to help children and the poor.
He believed in, in helping others and doing it secretly, secret giving.
Tim Connaghan, who plays Santa in movies and TV, has studied the evolution of Saint Nicholas from monk to myth. Nicholas was a bishop by the time he died around 350 AD, he was later canonized as a saint and became a revered symbol of generosity throughout Europe and beyond.
There were so many churches, cathedrals and religious locations named after Nicholas. It was a very remarkable thing. The GREek adopted him as a patron saint. The Russians adopted him as a patron saint.
The date of Nicholas' death, December 6th, was honored every year with a popular feast. But in 12th century France, the celebration took on a new twist that quickly became part of the tradition.
Some French nuns decide one year, bake some little treats, go by all the homes, put treats in the shoes of the little children and tell them that Nicholas brought them for being good. And over the next hundred, two hundred years, more people pick up on this idea of giving something to the children.
Because of the proximity of his feast day to Christmas. Saint Nicholas gradually became associated with the holiday as did the notion of a phantom gift giver who doled out rewards to the worthy.
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New Words:
bombard: (v.) To attack with bombs, shells, or missiles. 炮击
canonize: (v.) To declare (a deceased person) to be a saint and entitled to be fully honored as such. 宣布为圣徒
proximity: (n.) The state, quality, sense, or fact of being near or next; closeness 接近
