St Nick’s makeover

Introduction

How can one old man hand-deliver presents to 2 billion children in one evening? How can the white-bearded one be here when we just saw him round the corner in his grotto in the shopping centre? Why is 'Santa' an anagram of 'Satan'?

 Jolly Santa

Santa Claus, who appears all over the place at the end of the year, raises so many questions. Who is he? Where on earth did he come from? Why the red suit? In this special rejesus investigation, we look at the saint behind it all, St Nick, and how he went through a makeover to become Santa Claus. The good news for children everywhere is that Santa Claus does – or at least, once did – exist. And appropriately, for someone who is said to whizz around the world once a year in a single night, the story of Santa is international – flying from Turkey to Holland and then connecting on to New York.

We follow the story of this wayward saint in three easy steps, beginning in Turkey…

• Turkish delight
• The Dutch connection
• Destination New York

And we also ask…

• What do Christians think of Santa?

Use the links in the column to the right.

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