St. Nicholas vs. Santa Claus: Are They the Same?
St. Nicholas vs. Santa Claus: are they the same? Not quite. St. Nicholas was a real bishop who lived in the 4th century in what is now Turkey, and his feast day is December 6. Santa Claus is the legend that grew out of him, mostly in New York in the early 1800s, and he comes on Christmas Eve.12
So "St. Nick" really is Santa's ancestor, and the names still get mixed up for good reason. The famous poem that gave Santa his sleigh and reindeer is called "A Visit from St. Nicholas."3
Here's how the bishop with the miter became the man in the red suit, why some families in Milwaukee still put out shoes on December 6, and how to explain the difference to your kids.
St. Nicholas and Santa in numbers
St. Nicholas vs. Santa Claus at a glance
| St. Nicholas | Santa Claus | |
|---|---|---|
| Who he is | A real bishop of Myra, a saint of the church | A legendary figure who grew out of the saint |
| Lived | 4th century, in what is now Turkey | Born in American print, early 1800s |
| Big day | December 6 (St. Nicholas Day) | Night of December 24 (Christmas Eve) |
| Looks | Bishop's robes, tall miter, staff | Red suit, white beard, round belly |
| Gets around | On foot or on horseback (as Sinterklaas) | Sleigh pulled by flying reindeer |
| Where gifts go | Shoes left out the night before | Stockings and under the tree |
| Lives | Buried in Bari, Italy | The North Pole |
Who was St. Nicholas?
Nicholas was born in Patara and became bishop of Myra, both in what is today southern Turkey. Tradition dates his death to December 6, 343. He is the patron saint of sailors and children, among many others.1
His most famous story explains a lot about Santa. A poor father could not pay a dowry for his three daughters. Nicholas secretly tossed gold through their window at night, so the girls could marry. Secret gifts at night: that's the seed of every Christmas Eve since.1
In 1087, sailors took most of his remains to Bari, Italy, where they still rest.1 There's even an American twist: in 2017, researchers at Oxford radiocarbon-dated a small pelvis fragment owned by Father Dennis O'Neill of Morton Grove, Illinois. It came out as 4th century, the right era for the saint.5
How St. Nicholas became Santa Claus in New York
The usual story says Dutch settlers brought Sinterklaas to New Amsterdam. It's a nice tale, but the St. Nicholas Center notes that scholars find scant evidence of such traditions in Dutch New Netherland.2 The real makeover happened later, after the Revolution, when New Yorkers became proud of their old Dutch roots.
| Year | What happened in New York |
|---|---|
| 1773 | A New York newspaper, Rivington's Gazetteer, mentions "St. a Claus," the first surviving American reference |
| 1804 | John Pintard founds the New-York Historical Society and promotes St. Nicholas as a patron saint |
| 1809 | Washington Irving's "Knickerbocker's History of New York" turns Nicholas into a pipe-smoking Dutchman |
| 1810 | Pintard commissions Alexander Anderson's image of St. Nicholas for the society's December 6 dinner |
| 1823 | "A Visit from St. Nicholas" appears anonymously in the Troy Sentinel on December 23 |
| 1863 | Thomas Nast starts drawing Santa Claus for Harper's Weekly |
Irving's Nicholas wasn't a saintly bishop at all but "an elfin Dutch burgher with a clay pipe."2 Then came the poem. "A Visit from St. Nicholas" gave him a sleigh, eight reindeer, a trip down the chimney and a belly that "shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly."4 Clement Clarke Moore claimed it in 1844, though some still argue for Henry Livingston Jr. as the author.36 If your kids want to know those reindeer by name, here's our guide to Santa's reindeer names.
Thomas Nast finished the job. From 1863 he drew Santa in Harper's Weekly, and his drawings until 1886 shaped the American Santa Claus more than anyone else's.2 Santa's red suit was not invented by an ad agency, by the way: read more in Did Coca-Cola invent Santa?
Sinterklaas, Santa Claus and Kris Kringle
The name "Santa Claus" comes from Sinterklaas, the Dutch form of Saint Nicholas.7 In the Netherlands he is still a separate figure: he arrives by steamboat from Spain in mid-November, wears a red bishop's miter and brings presents on the evening of December 5.8 "Kris Kringle," on the other hand, comes from Christkindl, the Christ child that German families in Pennsylvania knew as their gift-bringer.7
St. Nicholas Day in the US: shoes on December 6
In most of the US, St. Nicholas Day passes without notice. But in a handful of cities with strong German roots, St. Nick still comes. Kids put their shoes or stockings out on the evening of December 5, and in the morning they find candy, a small toy and often an orange.9
| City | State |
|---|---|
| Milwaukee | Wisconsin |
| Evansville | Indiana |
| Cincinnati | Ohio |
| Fredericksburg | Texas |
| Newport News | Virginia |
| St. Louis | Missouri |
One Milwaukee mom called St. Nick "a fun 'bonus Santa'" from her childhood.9 If you'd like to start the custom, keep it small: chocolate coins, a clementine and a little note. It makes a sweet start to the season, and you might pair it with the day your Elf on the Shelf shows up.
How to explain the difference to your kids
Young kids are happy with a simple answer: St. Nicholas was a kind man who lived long ago and secretly gave gifts to people in need. Santa Claus carries on his idea at Christmas. Older kids often enjoy the history, and the real saint can be a gentle bridge when they start asking bigger questions. Our article Is Santa real? has ideas for that talk.
Cite this article
Want to use this comparison in class or on your website? Feel free to link to it:
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St. Nicholas and Santa Claus: frequently asked questions
Is St. Nick and Santa the same person?
Yes and no. Santa Claus grew out of St. Nicholas, and "St. Nick" is used as a nickname for Santa, for example in the poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas." But St. Nicholas was a real bishop in the 4th century, while Santa is a legendary figure shaped in New York in the 1800s.
When is St. Nicholas Day?
December 6 every year, the traditional date of the saint's death. Families who celebrate it put out shoes on the evening of December 5.
Do Americans celebrate St. Nicholas Day?
Most don't, but some do. It is popular in a handful of cities with strong German roots, such as Milwaukee, Cincinnati and St. Louis.
Where does the name Santa Claus come from?
From Sinterklaas, the Dutch name for St. Nicholas. In New York the name turned into "Santa Claus" over time.
Who is Kris Kringle?
Another name for Santa in the US. It comes from Christkindl, the "Christ child" gift-bringer of German immigrants in Pennsylvania.
Is St. Nicholas buried somewhere?
Most of his remains have been in Bari, Italy, since 1087. In 2017 Oxford researchers dated a pelvis fragment kept by a priest in Illinois to the 4th century, the right time for the saint, though that does not prove it is his.
Sources
- 1Wikipedia: Saint Nicholas (wikipedia.org)
- 2St. Nicholas Center: Origin of Santa Claus (stnicholascenter.org)
- 3Library of Congress Blog: Highlighting the holidays, a visit from St. Nick (2014) (loc.gov)
- 4HISTORY: "A Visit From St. Nicholas" poem first published (history.com)
- 5Medievalists.net: Are these the bones of Santa Claus? (2017) (medievalists.net)
- 6Wikipedia: A Visit from St. Nicholas (wikipedia.org)
- 7VOA Learning English: Words and their stories, Santa Claus (voanews.com)
- 8Wikipedia: Sinterklaas (wikipedia.org)
- 9St. Nicholas Center / OnMilwaukee: St. Nick's, a merry Milwaukee tradition (stnicholascenter.org)