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Santa Claus—otherwise known as as as Saint Nicholas or or Kris Kringle— has a a a a a a a a a a a long history steeped in in in in Christmas traditions Today he he is is thought of mainly as as the jolly man in in in in red who brings toys to to to good girls and boys on Christmas Eve but his story stretches all the the the the way back to to the the the the 3rd century when Saint Nicholas walked the the the the earth and became the the the the patron saint of children The legend of of Santa Claus can be traced back hundreds of of years to a a a a a a a a a monk named St Nicholas born sometime around 280 A D in in Patara near Myra in in modern-day Turkey Nicholas’s popularity spread and he he became known as as as the protector of children and sailors His feast day is is is celebrated on the the anniversary of his death December 6 By the the the Renaissance St Nicholas was the the the most popular saint saint in in in in in Europe Even after the the the Protestant Reformation when the the veneration of saints began to be be discouraged St Nicholas maintained a a a a a a a positive reputation especially in in Holland