Are you sitting comfortably? Our christmas tale of Saint Nicholas begins in the 4th Century with a Greek Christian Bishop of Myra, now located in Turkey.
Famous for generous giving to the poor, most notably presenting three daughters who were impoverished dowries to avoid a life of prostitution, Nicholas was a religious man who was devoted to a life of following Christianity. Often portrayed with a beard and canonical robes his remains lie in Italy, a token area of pilgrimage, as from him emits the tradition of patron saint’s and charitable giving during the winter period.
In the Middle Ages began the events of giving a gift to children and being charitable in his name on the day named after St. Nicholas, 6th December, moving in the course of the reformation to the 24th and 25th December.
Giving gifts as a custom was propagated by Martin Luther and the day was moved from looking at Saints to Jesus Christ and celebrating his birth, although Jesus is thought of as being born on a different date, the specifics being debated from March to November with no general consensus. A symbol for the bringing of gifts nonetheless Martin Luther brought Christ to the foreground, whilst Nicholas remained popular with culture status.
The Father Christmas we know and love, in a red coat with reindeer and a bushy beard was developed in 16th Century during Henry VIII’s reign, and so Saint Nicholas became Santa Claus. Dressed in green at the time signifying seasonal cheer and indulgence in food and gifts, the Victorians revived the old man and varied his appearance. From images created by John Leech in Charles Dickens’s festive classic ‘A Christmas Carol’ to a relationship with the coca cola brand, Father Christmas is entwined with a charitable past, which we are reminded in the marketing of charitable giving today.
On #GivingTuesday to start the season’s merriment, Givey gave a free donation to a charity in a competition to support community giving this Christmas. We challenge you all to Givey a gift this Christmas, and from all of us the Merriest of Christmases to you all.
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