St. Nick Day Highlights Roots of Santa

And, how he slapped Arius at Council meeting 

Today, Dec. 6, marks St. Nicholas Day, a centuries-old Christian feast honoring the fourth-century bishop of Myra, whose generosity and faith helped shape traditions still celebrated today, including the modern figure of Santa Claus.

St. Nicholas, a Greek bishop in what is now Turkey, was known for quiet acts of charity. The best-known account tells of him secretly providing gold for the dowries of three impoverished young women so they could marry. His reputation for compassion spread widely, and over time his story blended with folklore across Europe, eventually inspiring Sinterklaas and, later, Santa Claus.

Though the historical record is thin, St. Nicholas is also famously – and perhaps legendarily – linked to the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. Tradition holds that he confronted the teacher Arius for denying the divinity of Christ. The tale of Nicholas slapping Arius emerged centuries later, reflecting Christian devotion to orthodoxy more than documented history.

St. Nicholas Day is observed Dec. 6 in Western Christian traditions, or the evening of Dec. 5, and Dec. 19 in Eastern churches that follow an older calendar. Families in many countries mark the day with simple, symbolic customs. Children place shoes or stockings out overnight and awaken to coins, oranges, small toys or candy, echoing Nicholas’s quiet gift-giving. Churches may hold special services, and some communities emphasize charity, donating toys or helping families in need.

Though American culture associates gift-giving with Christmas, Christian tradition recognizes St. Nicholas as the original model of generosity rooted in faith, a reminder, especially in this Advent season, of caring for the poor, encouraging children and practicing mercy in everyday life.