SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Every year, the story of the jolly man in red bringing toys to the children reaches our ears. Where did he come from? When did the gift giving begin?
According to historians, the legend of Santa Claus dates back hundreds of years in modern-day Turkey. Admired for his kindness, St. Nicholas, a monk, became something of a legend.
He was likely born around the year 280 C.E. in Patara. Legend holds that he was given a large inheritance of wealth but gave it all away and traveled the countryside to help the poor and needy.
Over the years, St. Nicholas became more and more popular. He later became a saint, and by the Renaissance, he was believed to be the most popular in Europe…