Page 38 2023 Home For The Holidays Lincoln Daily News November 23, 2022 as dressed all in fur, with twinkling eyes, cheeks like roses, a nose like a cherry, a white beard, and a plump belly. Santa at the shopping mall The first life-size Santa model was in a Philadelphia store in 1841. Stores all around the United States began to advertise visits with real live Santas. In the early 1890’s the Salvation Army needed to raise money to pay for the Christmas meals they provided for needy families. They began dressing unemployed men in Santa Claus suits and sending them into the streets of New York to solicit donations. Those same Salvation Army Santas have been ringing bells on corners and in stores around American cities ever since. The Macy’s Santa first appeared in the Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1924 and has been featured in nearly every one since. That year also marked the first time Macy’s in New York featured the shopping mall Santa as we know him today. Children could sit on his lap, get a picture, and tell him what they want for Christmas. Children of all ages still line up to meet Santa at the New York Macy’s store and other stores around the country. “Miracle on 34th Street,” a 1947 motion picture, features perhaps the most iconic department store Santa. A young Natalie Wood plays a girl who believes Kris Kringle when he says he is the “real” Santa Claus. St. Nicholas and Santa Claus How do they differ? Santa Claus belongs to childhood and St. Nicholas sets an example of how you should behave your whole life. Santa Claus represents commerce and gifts and St. Nicholas represents the story of Christ and goodwill. Santa Claus appears once a year and St. Nicholas is always surrounding us with his example of generosity. Santa Claus comes from the North Pole with flying reindeer while St. Nicholas walked the earth caring for the needy. Modernization of Santa Claus seemed to replace the idea of celebrating the Babe of Bethlehem and St. Nicholas points to God by reminding us to be kind and generous. So now, when your children ask you if Santa Claus is real you can tell them the truth. Yes! Santa Claus is indeed real. The Santa Claus you see in stores, books, and movies is a person in a costume. People dress up as Santa Claus to remind us of a real person that lived long ago named St. Nicholas who secretly gave money and gifts to the poor. The magic of Christmas is alive, as long as you believe. [Lesleigh Bennett] Resources: https://www.history.com/topics/christmas/ santa-claus https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/ article/13219/santa-claus-origin-historychristmas-facts-st-nicholas/ https://www.stnicholascenter.org/
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