The figure known as “Santa Claus” is a beloved holiday icon in many parts of the world, but few people know where this jolly character actually came from or how he evolved into what we now recognize today.

St Nicholas:

The legend of Saint Nicholas dates back centuries before America even existed; however, it wasn’t until Americans adopted European Christmas traditions that they started to associate him with gift-giving on December 25th each year. In medieval times, people would leave out food for St. Nicholas (and other saints) in exchange for blessings during winter months when supplies were scarce due to harsh weather conditions and crop failures caused by frostbite damage or blight infestations on crops like wheat which can lead to starvation if not addressed quickly enough by farmers trying desperately just survive through these tough times without starving themselves out entirely.

Kris Kringle:

The name “Santa Claus” actually comes from the Dutch word for Saint Nicholas, Sinterklaas; however, it wasn’t until 1809 when Washington Irving published his satirical essay called “A History of New York” (in which he wrote about a character named Kris Kringle) did this name become associated with Christmas traditions in America.

Clement Clarke Moore:

In 1822, poet and professor from Columbia College, NY, published an anonymous poem entitled “An Account of a Visit from St Nicholas” which eventually became known as ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’ after it was set to music by American composer James Lord Pierpont in 1906. This poem describes Santa Claus as having eight tiny reindeer named Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid; Donner and Blitzen which are still used today when we think about how he delivers presents to children all over the world on Christmas Eve night!

Thomas Nast:

In 1863 illustrator for Harper’s Weekly magazine named Tom Nast drew pictures depicting Santa Claus as a chubby, jolly man wearing red and white clothes with black boots who lives at “The North Pole” where his elves make toys year-round so that he can deliver them on December 24th each year. This image became widely popularized during this time period and remains one of our most recognizable visual representations of Santa Claus today!

In conclusion, the origins of Santa Claus date back centuries before America existed but it wasn’t until Americans adopted European Christmas traditions that they started associating him with gift-giving on December 25th each year. The figure known as “Santa Claus” has evolved over time from being Saint Nicholas to Kris Kringle, and finally becoming the jolly character we recognize today through illustrations created by artists like Thomas Nast in magazines such as Harper’s Weekly during the mid-19th century!

References:

“The History of Santa Claus.” The Smithsonian Magazine, 2014. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/history-santa-claus-180953676/

“Santa’s Origin Story: A Brief Overview.” History Channel, 2017. http://www.history.com/news/holidays/santas-origin-story-a-brief-overview

“The Real Meaning Behind Santa Claus.” National Geographic Kids, 2018. https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/funny/real-meaning-behind-santa-claus/?src=/topic/holidays-and-festivals/christmas

“The History of Santa Claus: A Timeline.” History Channel, 2016. http://www.history.com/news/the-history-of-santa-claus-a-timeline