Celebrate Holiday Traditions with Santa Claus Christmas Cards

Christmas seems to be one of the few times of year when families seem to flock together. Maybe because families share their own special traditions it seems that each of us has a unique way of celebrating the holidays. However, no matter how unique our personal traditions may be, most of us stick close to at least some of the tried and true traditions we’ve grown up with.

One of the most beloved of those traditions is Santa Claus.

Was Santa Claus Real?

The surprising answer is yes, although the real man did not fly through the sky in a sled pulled by reindeer. Instead, he lived in 4th century Turkey and was named Saint Nicholas. People told stories about his amazing generosity among the less fortunate. For example, one family had three daughters but was too poor to offer the dowries needed to get them a respectful marriage. Without marriage, the girls would probably have ended up in prostitution. Saint Nicholas gave the family the money they needed instead and saved the girls from their fate.

Saint Nicholas and our modern Santa Claus may have become associated with Christmas because he devoted himself to Christianity. At the time, the religion was still relatively new so his generosity probably made him a wonderful symbol for the religion. Today, Saint Nicholas is considered the patron saint of Moscow and of Amsterdam.

Other Elements of Our Santa Claus Tradition

While Saint Nicholas’s generosity may have inspired the creation of Santa Claus, other stories helped us to develop the rest of the tradition. Many of these elements came to us from myths about the Germanic god Odin. Odin was believed to ride a flying horse named Sleipnir every year as he went on a hunting expedition. Children would leave carrots and sugars for the horse so he would have nourishment during the journey. In exchange, Odin would leave candy for the children.

Even our Santa Claus’s appearance is similar to that of Odin’s. When described or drawn, Odin was pictured as an old man with a white beard.

No matter how the story of Santa Claus was developed, children all over the world celebrate their winter holidays by waiting for him to bring them candy, gifts, or other treats. He truly is the most recognizable symbol of Christmas so it seems only appropriate that he should adorn your Christmas cards. Here are a few possibilities: Santa in sled, Santa’s Flight Plan, Smiling Santa, or Santa and his Sleigh.