You may think to yourself that this article is stupid. That Santa doesn’t exist, and that he’s purely fictional. Well, that’s partly true. Santa was a real person in history. His name was Saint Nicholas. He was born around 280 A.D. in Patara near modern-day Turkey. He gave his wealth to the poor and ill, which started the legends of Santa. The name “Santa Claus” derived from a Dutch name. “Sinter Klaas” was a shortened version of Sint Nikolaas (sound familiar?).

He was a positive figure in history. He became a very popular saint in Europe. His worldwide popularity started at the end of the 18th century, when a New York newspaper reported that Dutch families gathered to honor the anniversary of his death. His memorable look: a red waistcoat, and other items that were of Saint Nicholas’s time. So to answer the question “is Santa real?” Yes and no. At one point, he was, and that was how the legend of Santa Claus was born.