Saint Nicholas of Bari, Bishop of Myra

Nicholas was born in Patara, a small coastal town in the region of Lycia, in present-day Turkey, in the 4th century, into a wealthy family who raised him in the Christian doctrine.He was orphaned at a young age and, recalling the Gospel passage of the Rich Young Man, devoted all the wealth he inherited to helping the sick and the poor.

He was appointed Bishop of Myra and, under the rule of Emperor Diocletian, was exiled and imprisoned.After being released, he took part in the Council of Nicaea in 325 and died in Myra in 343.

Many episodes contributed to his sainthood, but there is one story in particular that would later transform him into Santa Claus.

A neighbour of his had three daughters, all of marriageable age, but lacked the money required for their dowries. Since ancient times, laws concerning women had been changing and, in some places, improving. At that time, however, the absence of a dowry meant they would remain unmarried and, in order to secure their future, would most likely be forced into prostitution.

One night, Nicholas wrapped money in a cloth and threw it through his neighbour’s window. Thanks to this gift, the neighbour was able to marry off his eldest daughter. Nicholas repeated the gesture twice more, and on the final occasion he was caught by the father. He asked him to remain silent and to keep his actions secret.

But, like all stories, this one grew wings and spread.

After his death, his tomb in Myra became a place of pilgrimage. When the city was taken by the Turks in the 11th century, the Venetians attempted to seize the tomb, but the people of Bari acted first, transferring the relics to their city in 1087. Two years later, the crypt of the new church desired by the people of Bari was completed, on the very site where the Byzantine catepan’s (administrator’s) palace had once stood.

Pope Urban II, escorted by Norman knights — the Lords of Apulia — placed the relics beneath the altar, where they remain to this day.

Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of children, students, merchants and sailors, due to the many occasions on which his intervention helped or saved people connected to these activities. As the patron of children, he earned the eternal title of Santa Claus.

But where did this name come from?

During the Middle Ages, devotion to Saint Nicholas spread and became important throughout Europe. Saint Nicholas died on December 6, and it became customary, in honour of his generosity, to give gifts on that day, especially to children, of whom Saint Nicholas was the patron saint.

In Germanic territories, the winter feast of Saint Nicholas encouraged children to place their shoes by the fireplace or on a chair, so that the next day they would find gifts and sweets. The name, of Dutch origin, was Sint Nikolaas, later Sinterklaas.

Dutch immigrants who travelled to America took the tradition with them, and the name was eventually adapted by the English-speaking tradition to Santa Claus.

The birth of Jesus Christ on December 25, marked by the gift-giving of the Three Wise Men, merged with the charitable acts of Saint Nicholas, shifting the tradition of gift-giving to the night of December 24.

In 1823, the American cartoonist Thomas Nast composed the poem A Visit from Saint Nicholas and, through his illustrations, introduced the image of a plump, smiling old man with a kind face and a friendly beard, delivering gifts. In Europe, the name Santa Claus evolved into “Father Christmas” or “Father Christmas”, inspired by the image of a protective father figure.

It was Coca-Cola, in the 1930s, that firmly planted in our collective memory the image of the cheerful old man we all recognise today.

But what about his home?

The North Pole is an extreme and isolated place, surrounded by ice and snow — ideal for housing a toy factory far from prying eyes. Its location also made it possible for Santa Claus to travel across multiple time zones and deliver all the gifts on time… to well-behaved children, excuse me, gifts.

Reindeer — robust, domesticated animals native to northern regions — entered the collective imagination through the poem by Thomas Nast. They were granted magical powers to fly and move swiftly to deliver the presents.

Rudolph’s red nose emerged between the 1930s and 1940s, allowing Santa Claus to navigate through snow and fog.

All that’s left is the music… And no, it’s not Mariah Carey’s.Silent Night is the most famous Christmas song in the world and a UNESCO cultural heritage piece. However, All I Want for Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey is the most profitable and most played.

We could have chosen the image of the kindly old man, but we chose this one instead. Why? Because Santa Claus is a symbol of generosity. And for him to be generous, all you need to do is be… generous too. After all, being kind is about generosity in its fullest form.

Who doesn’t remember bicycles flying across the moonlit sky, carrying an E.T. wrapped in rags, fleeing from pursuers? It certainly rings a bell.And this E.T. is also a traveller — universal.

That is why we believe tourism has the power to bring people together and to truly be the industry of peace.

It is up to us to be good travellers for all the inhabitants of this blue planet of ours.

And finally, the “Ho Ho Ho” was the greeting used by the elves in Santa’s workshop as a universal form of salutation, avoiding the need for multiple languages. When used by Santa Claus himself, it came with that warm, harmonious voice that accompanied his smile.

We forgot about the elves… but that’s a story for next year.

Season’s Greetings.