Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 304, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 December 1912 — JUST THIS SANTA PERSONIS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

JUST THIS SANTA PERSONIS

W | If HO Is thiß grand old ■ ■ I I man, adored by every lyll I one, and where was -/■Mrf he born? The answer / is not easy, for Santa Claus was born ages ago and he has been so busy ever since that he never has taken the time to study his family tree. One thing he knows, and that is Aj he has many names. American children call him Santa Claus, the little Dutch folk St. Nicholas, the French WBrS/ Pere Noel, and the W&fijm 3 Germans Prince Ru■ML precht or Kriss Kringle> all mean

the same thing. The story of his birth Is told in medieval legend. This Italian Btory says that his name was St Nicholas and he was a bishop in the fourth century. He had a great deal of money, but he was so good to poor people, and especially to children, that he gave it away as fast as he got it. There are many tales about his good deeds, but perhaps the most Interesting one is how he brought back to life three children who had been killed. In Italy he was known as a tall ■nan, dressed in white robes and wearing a crown. But the happy Dutch did not think of this kind man that way. To the Dutch people he always appeared as short-legged and pot-bellied and well wrapped in furs. He was accompanied by a black slave, who carried a bag full of sweets and presents. St. Nicholas carried a birch rod with him and asked the children who had been good and who had been bad. If they were good he gave them nuts, crackers and candies, but if they had been bad they got a flogging. The children put their wooden sabots in the open fireplace so he could put some more presents in these on going out. ' In Russia he was worshiped the same way, but he always appeared as a tall person wearing the vestments of a bishop, with miter and crown. His companion was a bearded man wearing a fur coat, carrying a stick and a basket full of presents. There are many interesting legends associated with the name of St. Nicholas or Santa Claus in England. One Is that he was' put in prison for some unknown offense, but managed to escape. This is told In “An Hue and Cry After Christmas,” and it tells of the arraignment, conviction and imprisonment of Christmas, and how he "broke out of prison in the holidays and got away, only leaving his hoary hair and gray beard sticking between two iron bars of a window." In Germany he was at first considered as an advance courier for the Chrlstkindlein, distributing part of the angel child’s gifts and promising a visit of the Chrlstkindlein on Christmas eve when he heard that the children were good. In some of the small places he appeared grotesquely—sometimes in goatskin and dancing like a goat, again in a white sheet with a stick and two lights in his mouth. The legend says that Claus, Nicholaus, Necht Ruprecht, or whatever his name is, “comeß in wearing a white sheet and holding a stick in his hand.” He tells the children to pray, and if they disobey he flogs them, but If they obey he gives them plenty of nuts and apples. The Italian children also believed In their patron saint, but they worshiped his wife Instead. Her name is La BefanaTind they pay as much homage to her as the other children do to the saint She is not good looking, for she is supposed to be more than 2,000 years old. The legend says that when the three wise men were about to pass her window she refused to go to the window and salute them. She saw her mistake when it was too late, and has tried to repent by making the children of Italy happy

on her birthday, which is the sixth of January. She is supposed to be Santa Claus’ wife, and when she is not busy helping him she is in Italy getting ready for her yearly celebration, which takes place on the sixth of January, when she gives the children toys, fruits, candies, etc. She is also known in Russia and a great many children believe in Mrs. instead of Mr. Santa Claus. There she is called Babouska, and the story tells that she is so kind because she is repenting of her sins. When the Dutch came to America they brought their stories of their patron saint and their Christmas celebrations. And the children commenced to hang up their stockings instead of putting wooden shoes into the open fireplace. Their saint was the same kind, jovial man, excepting that he came with reindeer instead of driving horses as in Holland. The German children told their stories of the Christ child, who sent Prince Ruprecht as his servant to inquire into their behavior and to distribute their presents. They did not see a great deal of difference in the stories and so took the twenty-fifth of December as the day for Santa Clauß’ appearance. In France it was the angel child who came every year to bless the children and to remember them with some small gift. Afterward he had so much to do he sent his servant, Pere Noel, which is the Santa Claus of the French and Dutch children, to help him distribute his gifts and to tell them that he will come to bless them before the New Year. Though Santa Claus has a large sleigh and two splendid horses or reindeer, according to the countries he visits, he has such Jong distances to cover that be cannot appear in all countries on the same day. Santa Claus was born In Holland, or rather it took the Dutch children to find him. But he is a great traveler and goes to all countries, where he has many shops and thousands of men and women working for him. He goes to all the forests of Germany, especially to the wonderful “Black Forest," and gets thousands and thousands of trees. But even the great forests of Germany cannot give him all the trees he needs, so he hurries to Russia and even to Sweden and Norway until he gets all he wants. He has many shops in London, Paris, Chicago, New York, and in many other cities. His great factories are in Nuremberg and In Switzerland, in the Bernese Oberland. Here he has many of the dolls, wooden toys and miniature watches made that go to all> countries of the world. By the time he reaches Germany the Christmas markets are emptied of their trees, which are always dressed awaiting his coming. Then he takes a fast steamer to America, and by the time he lands In New York he is pretty well tired out He always brings one or more servants with him and he has so many homes to visit that only a few of the children get to „ see him. He hurries in and out of the chimneys just as fast as he can.

He catches another steamer bound for France, where the children are awaiting their Pere Noel. Sometimes he is so late that the children have to celebrate their Christmas and New Year together. But his Journey is not yet ended, for he goes back once more to Russia, especially into the interior, where he has not yet been. B\ft he Is the friend of all children and must therefore extend his Journey into farthest Norway, and even intoIceland. While he is busy with the children of the north his wife is looking after the children in the south, in Italy, Spain and Greece. At dark on the eve of Epiphany the Befana begins. The open squares are crowded with trees of all sizes, wax figures of the Christ child, candies and toys, while the air resounds with the Bounds of whistles, horns and carols. When these celebrations are finished Santa Claus and his wife go off for a short holiday, nobody knows exactly where. It is said that they have been seen in the high mountains of Switzerland enjoying the winter sports. Wherever they enjoy their holiday it is short, for as soon as they are rested they commence their work for the coming year. This is only a part of the real Christmas legend, for Christmas would not be nearly as beautiful as it is were it not for the splendid evergreen trees, shimmering with their many brilliant candles and gay trimmings. The Dutch may boast that Santa Claus was born in Holland. Who knows? Perhaps he was. But Germany is the home of the Christmas tree, for it was the first country that used the evergreen tree in Christmas celebration, and it supplies more than one-half of the trees that are used by Santa Claus. There are many beautiful stories associated with the origin of the first Christmas tree. One legend says that on the holy night all nature, even the animalß and the trees, were rejoicing and that the cedars, Instead of pointing their branches upward as pointed, slender trees, spread their branches wide to protect the mother and her new-born child. Though it was midwinter the thorn commenced to blossom and its white flowers made a cover for the child’s cradle. The olive poured forth oil for the newborn child. All were happy except the small pine, which had nothing to offer, and year by year it grew taller. Still it never forgot that holy night and the wind sweeping through its branches moans because the pine is still unhappy because It had nothing to give.