Date: 12/24/00
WORDS AND THEIR STORIES #2352 - SANTA CLAUS
By MARILYN RICE CHRISTIANOVOICE:
NOW, THE VOA SPECIAL ENGLISH PROGRAM WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.
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SANTA CLAUS IS SOMEONE WHO WILL REMAIN IN THE HEARTS OF CHILDREN
FOREVER. HE IS THE MAKE-BELIEVE PERSON WHO BRINGS TOYS AND OTHER
GIFTS TO CHILDREN AT CHRISTMAS. TO GROWN-UPS, HE IS A SPECIAL
SYMBOL OF GOOD WILL AND SELFLESS GIVING.
SANTA CLAUS ALSO HAS SOME OTHER NAMES: SAINT NICHOLAS, ST. NICK,
KRIS KRINGLE, PELZNICKEL.
TWO OF HIS NAMES -- SANTA CLAUS AND SAINT NICHOLAS -- BOTH COME
FROM THE DUTCH WHO SETTLED IN NEW YORK LONG AGO.
THE DUTCH BELIEVED SAINT NIKOLAAS GAVE GIFTS TO CHILDREN. THEY
HONORED THIS KINDLY SAINT WITH A YEARLY FESTIVAL ON DECEMBER
SIXTH. THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING PEOPLE WHO LIVED NEARBY GREATLY
ENJOYED DUTCH FESTIVALS. AND THEY BROUGHT THE SAINT AND THE
CUSTOM OF GIVING GIFTS INTO THEIR OWN CELEBRATION AT CHRISTMAS
TIME.
THE DUTCH SPOKE THE NAME "SAINT NIKOLAAS" VERY FAST. IT SOUNDED
LIKE "SINTERKLAAS." AND SO, WHEN THE ENGLISH SAID THIS WORD, IT
SOUNDED LIKE -- SANTA CLAUS.
WEST OF NEW YORK, IN PENNSYLVANIA, MANY GERMAN FARMERS HAD ALSO
HEARD OF SAINT NIKOLAAS. BUT THEY CALLED HIM PELZNICKEL. THIS
WORD CAME FROM "PELZ," MEANING FUR, AND "NICKEL" FOR NICHOLAS.
AND SO, TO THE GERMANS OF PENNSYLVANIA, SAINT NICHOLAS OR
PELZNICKEL WAS A MAN DRESSED IN FUR WHO CAME ONCE A YEAR WITH
GIFTS FOR GOOD CHILDREN.
SOON, PEOPLE BEGAN TO FEEL THAT THE LOVE AND KINDNESS PELZNICKEL
BROUGHT SHOULD BE PART OF A CELEBRATION HONORING THE CHRISTKINDL,
AS THE GERMANS CALLED THE CHRIST CHILD. AFTER A TIME, THIS
BECAME KRIS KRINGLE. LATER, KRIS KRINGLE BECAME ANOTHER NAME FOR
SANTA CLAUS HIMSELF.
WHATEVER HE IS CALLED, HE IS STILL THE SAME SHORT, FAT,
JOLLY OLD MAN WITH A LONG BEARD, WEARING A RED SUIT WITH WHITE
FUR.
THE PICTURE OF SANTA CLAUS, AS WE SEE HIM, CAME FROM THOMAS NAST.
HE WAS AN AMERICAN PAINTER BORN IN BAVARIA. HE PAINTED PICTURES
FOR CHRISTMAS POEMS. SOMEONE ASKED HIM TO PAINT A PICTURE OF
SANTA CLAUS.
NAST REMEMBERED WHEN HE WAS A LITTLE BOY IN SOUTHERN GERMANY.
EVERY CHRISTMAS, A FAT OLD MAN GAVE TOYS AND CAKES TO THE
CHILDREN. SO, WHEN NAST PAINTED THE PICTURE, HIS SANTA CLAUS
LOOKED LIKE THE KINDLY OLD MAN OF HIS CHILDHOOD. AND THROUGH THE
YEARS, NAST'S PAINTING HAS REMAINED AS THE MOST POPULAR PICTURE
OF SANTA CLAUS.
SANTA CAN BE SEEN ALMOST EVERYWHERE IN LARGE AMERICAN CITIES
DURING THE CHRISTMAS SEASON. SOME STAND ON STREET CORNERS ASKING
FOR MONEY TO BUY FOOD AND GIFTS FOR THE NEEDY. OTHERS ARE FOUND
IN STORES AND SHOPPING CENTERS.
IT IS EASY TO FIND THEM. . . BY THE LONG LINES OF CHILDREN WAITING
TO TELL SANTA WHAT THEY WANT FOR CHRISTMAS.
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YOU HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO THE VOA SPECIAL ENGLISH PROGRAM WORDS AND THEIR STORIES. MAURICE JOYCE WAS YOUR NARRATOR. I'M SHIRLEY GRIFFITH.
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Source: www.voa.gov/special/