THE DUTCH WILL TELL YOU ST. NICHOLAS IS THE REAL FATHER CHRISTMAS...........

Whether you can him Santa Claus, Kris Kringle, or Father Christmas, the highly popular December man, in the red and white velvet and fur suit, with a full, long, white beard, and deep, ho, ho, ho, of a belly laugh, is really known as St. Nick, - St. Nicholas, who was known as a wonderworker.  St. Nicholas lived in the 4th Century, and was the Bishop of Myra, in Asia Minor.  Folklore has come down to us of St. Nicholas' generosity, especially concerning the story of a poor man with three daughters, he was hardpressed to provide for, as he raised them.  St. Nicholas is said to have thrown three bags of gold through the poor man's window, to help him in his need.  St. Nicholas' selfless generosity and devotedness to children, has kept him alive through the centuries under the titles of not only Good St, Nick, but Santa Claus, Kris Kringle, and Father Christmas.  As a Bishop of the Church St. Nicholas is thought to have endured the Roman Emperor Diocletian's persecutions; and is remembered as staunchly  condemning Arianism, the heresy that denied God the Son is Co-Eternal with God the Father, thus he was a loyal defender of the Catholic-Christian Faith.  The children of Holland celebrate St. Nicholas, as their special patron and commemorate his generosity today, December 6th, his liturgical feastday.  My 4th Grade teacher, Mrs. Drury, who was Dutch, told us her personal stories as a child of how she and her brothers and sisters, along with other Dutc childrenh, put their pair of wooden shoes in front of the fireplace, for St. Nicholas to fill with candy and other goodies.  So for any of the children who need to know like the well known "Virginia", of Christmases past; you can assure them there is really and truly a Santa Claus, and his first and proper name is St. Nicholas !!!!!!!!!!!...........Fr.  Troy