We all know that Santa brings presents to "nice" children around the world every year, that he has eight reindeer, and that he's married to Mrs. Claus. But you (or the kids in your life) may have some questions about jolly old Saint Nick, namely is Santa a real person? Just how old is Santa? And when is his birthday?
For all those enquiring minds that want to know, read on because we've got answers about Santa Claus's age, when his birthday is, how he came to be known as Santa Claus, and where he was born (surprisingly, it's not the North Pole!). So put out some milk and cookies, turn on your favorite Christmas tunes, and get ready to learn some fun facts about Santa.
Exactly how old is Santa?
According to the blog Email Santa, Santa Claus is 1,751 years old as of 2022. In fact, the origins of Santa Claus can be traced all the way back to a monk named Saint Nicholas, who was born between 260 and 280 A.D. in a village called Patara, which is part of modern-day Turkey.
Long before he became Santa Claus, there were many legends around Saint Nicholas performing acts of kindness, like providing monetary assistance to a family so that they wouldn’t have to sell their daughters into slavery. Another legend involves Saint Nicholas praying for sailors who were being threatened by a powerful storm and ensuring their safe return.
Because of these and other fabled deeds, he became known as a protector of children and sailors. People around the world continue to honor him with the Feast of Saint Nicholas on December 6.
When is Santa's birthday?
SantaClaus.com states that Santa’s birthday is on March 15. Mark it on your calendar for next year!
How did we go from Saint Nicholas to Santa Claus?
According to TIME, the legend of Saint Nicholas continued to be passed around throughout Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries. In the Netherlands, St. Nicholas Day was observed by someone dressing up as the saint and going door-to-door giving children either small gifts or coal, depending on how good or bad they had been.
But according to researchers, it’s a bit of a mystery as to how the legend of Saint Nicholas made its way to North America. In the 1770s, one New York newspaper referenced “St. Nicholas, otherwise called Santa Claus,” which is the first known reference to Santa Claus in the United States.
The author of Christmas: A Biography, Judith Flanders, shared with Time that the large populations of Swiss people who settled in New York, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania are probably the reason we know Santa Claus by that name today. “They came from regions that marked St. Nicholas’ Day, and St. Nicholas in various dialects of Schweizerdeutsch, or Swiss-German, becomes either Samichlaus or Santi-Chlaus.” And of course, it's easy to see how "Santi-Chlaus" might have evolved into "Santa Claus" over time.
So, how old is Santa's wife, Mrs. Claus?
According to Email Santa, Mrs. Claus is just a bit younger than her husband. She’s 1,140 years old this year. And don’t forget to wish her a happy birthday after you’ve opened your gifts this year: Her birthday is on Christmas Day, according to the website.
Exactly how old is Santa? According to the blog Email Santa, Santa Claus is 1,751 years old as of 2022. In fact, the origins of Santa Claus can be traced all the way back to a monk named Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas of Myra (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also known as Nicholas of Bari, was an early Christian bishop of Greek descent from the maritime city of Patara in Anatolia (in modern-day Antalya Province, Turkey) during the time of the Roman Empire.
If you think, judging by that white beard and hair, Kris Kringle might be around 70 or 80, the truth is he's far, far older. According to History.com, the monk who over time would evolve into Santa Claus was born in what is now modern-day Turkey in 280 A.D., making him a whopping 1,741 years old!
At what age should I tell my child the truth about Santa? What should I say when I talk to my child about Santa not being real? There's no magical age for this. But the age range of when kids start to ask questions is around 7 to 10 – the average age of when kids figure out Santa isn't real is 8 years old.
The research, which has not yet been peer reviewed, found that for most children, disbelief crept in gradually about the age of eight – although some three- or four-year-olds had convinced themselves that Santa wasn't real, while other children believed in him until they were 15 or 16.
The average age that children stop believing in Santa is eight. There's a huge amount of variation though — some kids will report it around four or five, some are closer to 12 or 13. So the average is eight, but each child's journey is different.
When Christianity was brought to the Germanic pagans, Saint Nicholas' personhood merged with Odin's image in the minds of the people. Since Saint Nicholas is the start of it all, it's safe to say that Santa Claus is over 1,700 years old. Now, that's how old Santa Claus is in folklore.
Does Santa have any children? Although Santa and Mrs Claus almost never have children in any of their many depictions, there is at least one Christmas Burlesque musical from 1892 that features Kitty Claus, the daughter of Santa. Funnily enough, we find a few mentions of Kitty in our newspaper collection.
Amy Morin is a therapist whose clients ofter ask when to tell their kids the truth about Santa. Morin said there's no magic age or single right way for when parents need to reveal the truth. She said the truth should depend on the parent's values and what they want their child to learn.
The truth is, he's not a person at all – he's an idea. Get them to think of all those presents Santa gave them over the years. Explain that you actually bought those yourself and that Santa Claus is the idea of giving for the sake of giving, without thanks or acknowledgement.
Most Americans (67%) stopped expecting Santa to shimmy down their chimney by the time they entered seventh grade. Half (49%) of Americans say they stopped believing in Santa before the age of 10 – with a quarter (23%) reporting that they lost sight of him between the ages of seven (10%) and eight (13%).
And the first question after that, in the “People also ask” section, is: “Is Santa real or is it your parents?” The top response comes from the motherhood website Her View From Home. “The answer is no.We are not Santa. There is no one, single Santa.
People dress up in Santa costumes to remind us… …of someone who lived a long, long time ago called St. Nicholas who secretly gave money to people who needed it.” …to be kind and generous to other people in our family or even outside our family, especially people who have less than we do.”
His first incarnation was as Nicholas, born in AD 270, who became Bishop of Myra in Asia Minor (today part of Turkey). Imprisoned by the pagan Roman emperor Diocletian, he was freed by Constantine the Great and continued his saintly work. He died in AD 343, on 6 December – now St Nicholas Day.
We do, however, know from history that it appears he arrives only when children are asleep! In most countries, it seems Santa arrives between 9:00 p.m. and midnight on December 24th. If children are still awake when Santa arrives, he moves on to other houses. He returns later, but only when the children are asleep!
Tell him he is right, and congratulate him for figuring out the secret. Then explain to him that Santa is an idea, a symbol of love for others and the spirit of giving, an idea that is far too big for one person, so we each must do our best to keep that idea alive by being loving and giving to each other.
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