Gifts From Saint Nicholas

Saint Nicholas was born in 245 A.D. in Asia Minor, Patara town. He was very young when his parents died due to a great plague which hit the town. He moved to his uncle who was an archbishop and he lived in a monastery. In this way, the young boy grew up and became a priest.He was a very good man, he always helped people in need and has taught the children.

In 270 A.D. he went in a pilgrimage in Jerusalim and when he returned he arrived in the capital city of Anatolia, Myra, where he became a bishop.

Nicholas was bishop in Myra for 52 years. Every evening he walked on the street and he talked with people.

One evening he walked near the house of a nobile man, who lost his wealth, but he had three daughters. Nicholas heared a conversation between the three daughters in which they decided that one of them must be sold as a slave and with the gained money the older daughter will be able to get married. Hearing this , Nicholas went back to the church,he took a small bag of gold and returned to the nobile man's house.He threw the money in the house through the window, and the three girls thought that it was a miracle.

After a year Nicholas threw another small bag of gold through the window. This was a gift for the second girl. The girls ran out to see who threw the money, but they have seen an old man dressed in red clothes who disappeared in the darkness.

In the third year he tryed to throw the money again, but being a very cold winter, the window was closed. So, he climbed up on the roof and he threw the bag of gold in the chimney. The youngest girl had washed her stockings and she left it to dry by the fire. The third girl found the bag of gold in her stockings and they began to believe that there is a "Father Winter" who gave them these gifts.

On the 5th of December Nicholas has given presents to children, and he was called by people "Noel Baba" which means " The Gift Giver Father".

In the time of Diocletian, who was the Roman emperor, Nicholas was imprisoned because he hasn't worshiped the emperor as a God . He stayed five years in prison and he suffered from cold and thirst but he didn't gave up his belief. When Diocletian was resigned in 313 A.D., Nicholas was released and he returned in Myra where he was a bishop for the rest of his life.

According to the legend , when Nicholas died in 6th of December,342 A.D. , his soul was lead by angels to a place from which sprang a fountain.

The Saint Nicholas Day is celebrated on 6 December in many European countries. Santa Claus who brings the gifts in America derive from these legends and his name comes from the Dutch Sinterklaas.Read more

In 1956 archeologists have discovered in the city of Demre, Turkey, the church where Saint Nicholas was buried. The tomb was almost empty and the scientists have discovered that in 1087 italian pirates have stollen the bones of St. Nicholas and all the relics which were in the tomb.

The stolen bones and relics were delivered in Bari , Italy, and today, Saint Nicholas has a tomb in Basilica di San Nicola in this city. Read more about St. Nicholas' life here.

On 14th of June 2005 in Antalya, Turkey was estabilished the Santa Claus Peace Council. The members of this council have met for the first time in 1991 in Antalya, Turkey and their aim is to remind the mankind about the importance of world peace.

Since 1995 this foundation hostes 79 countries , and they set examples of peacefull activities with different topics in Turkey.

Every year on December 2 the members of Santa Clause Peace Council meet in Antalya and they estabilish the next year's "Peace Agenda". On this day is elected the "The Santa Clause Peace Land", there are discussions on the topic "Call Activities For World Peace With Santa Claus" and the "Santa Claus Peace Prize" is awarded. Read more

The Santa Claus Foundation's mission is to dramatically reduce the number of children who are abused, neglected, exploited, abandoned, homeless, and institutionalized in the United States and to promote the fostering and adoption of children who are wards of the states.

The Santa Claus Peace Council in Turkey and its own Santa Claus Foundation keep alive throughout the world Santa Claus' image of kindness, peace and love -- without limits of religion, language or race.
Santa realizes that there first must be peace within each individual, then within every family, community, country, and throughout the world.

Children are our future and should live in a world free from fear, where peace, kindness, and love abound.

Santa Claus is pleased to accept the Santa Claus Peace Council's 2009 Peace Award on behalf of all children and those who advocate for their health, safety, and welfare. Read more about this wonderful Foundation here

It is evening and the children's emotions are increasing. They are so anxious that they are sneaking in the room to check if the Mikulas has arrived.

Surprise! The small shoes in the window are full of gifts. Chocolates, a doll, a fireman car and more chocolate. The kids are happy because they got presents but they haven't received rods from the Krampusz.

I smiled, and I remembered when my daughter was two years old and she received the presents from Mikulas, on the second day she put her shoes in the window again.