Nicholas of Myra

Saint Nicholas of Myra in Lycia, Asia Minor was a 4st century Bishop, called the wonderworker, for the many wonderful deads of help to his fellow men. His feast day is December 6st. When Myra and Byzantium was overtaken by Islamic invaders in the 11st century , the remains of Bishop Nicholas were brought to Bari in Italy.

Saint Nikolaus or St Nicolas is celebrated in European countries and in Germany children put a boot outside the front doors on the night from the 5st to the sixst of December. St Nikolaus fills the boot, called "Nikolaus Stiefel" with goodies and at the same time checks up on the children to see if they were good. If they were not , they will have charcoal in their boots instead.

Thomas Nast and other immigrants brought their "Saint Nicholas" and other Christmas traditions with them to America. The tall skinny European St. Nicholas quickly was americanized into the fat, jolly ,red cheeked over-commercialized Santa Claus.