6-year old letter disses Santa

Force kids to write letters to "Santa" in school and look what you might get!

Sinterklaas Arrives in 1920

Fascinating footage of Sinterklaas arriving in Amsterdam, in 1920. Many other years are available as well.

Walloons Remove Cross from Saint Nicholas

The Walloon socialist health insurance fund Solidaris removed the cross from the miter of Sinterklaas for their drawing competition. “In order not to exclude any child”, it explains…

But the socialist health insurance system defends itself by saying that “it is no longer a religious celebration of Sinterklaas, but a feast for all children, whatever faith they have. Hence our decision to remove that religious symbol and replace it with a neutral round sphere,” says a spokesperson for the health insurance fund…

Newsweek: Santa is Dead?

The title does not live up to itself - Newsweek runs a short, informative article on the bones of Nicholas.

Joyous Feast of St. Nicholas to All

St. Nicholas is not confused about the reason for the season!

Lots of other are, and rightly so. Anyway, the ASLAN Society wishes for you a joyous feast.

ASLAN is On The Move for 2012

We are on the move once again here at ASLAN, just in time to think the Eternal!

Less than a week before St. Nicholas Day! Where, O where is my heart...my treasure...there, it is sought, so shall it be found.

Almost Upon Us! The Feast of St. Nicholas

It is almost the Day of Holy St. Nicholas!
Santa-- be gone! Get out of my Christmas!
Out, Out! Dark spirit of greed--
Giving-- incarnate the sould of my creed!
Saint of Nicea, Servant of Man,

tell "St. Nick" it's time to scram!
You hate imposters--you Love the Truth!
Lower me through the floor or Your Roof!

with Love, SintNick

Christkindl in Frankfort, IL

All the way from Germany, riding on a white horse through the centuries, Christkindl makes his 26th appearance, sponsored by the town business leaders, not the church elders.

 

"Christkindl Weekend is also a special time when we experience the quiet of twinkling lights in store windows decorated in this year's theme of Christmas carols. Visitors can try to guess which carol you think each window represents," Vassell added.
Having evolved over the past 25 years, Frankfort's Christkindl seamlessly blends cherished traditions with new ideas, refining this event into a holiday "must do" for area residents.

72 Santa Graduates...

72 Santa Graduates....make Time magazine. Correctly labelled as Bizarre.

Santa Graduates in Marketing

Santa graduate's story...same old, same old.

Man lives as Santa Claus

IDSnews.com | Southern Indiana man lives as Santa Claus (I have been to Santa Claus, Indiana)
Santa Claus is real.

In a cabin nestled way in the back of the Santa Claus Christmas Store in Santa Claus, Ind., jolly old Saint Nicholas greets passersby and welcomes children young and old to take a photo on Santa’s knee.

A family enters the room: mom, dad and twin three-year-old sisters in matching red dresses made the drive from Bloomington to meet the Big Man himself in his own town.

The girls hid behind their parents’ legs, but after a few genuine “ho, ho, ho”’s and a candy cane apiece, they were on Santa’s knees talking about what they wanted for Christmas.

The charming personality and Santa Claus mannerisms don’t turn off when Don Dauscha is away from the adoring — if a bit reluctant — children. The long white beard, gold-framed spectacles, red and white garb and distinctive laugh define Dauscha.

Don is Kris Kringle, St. Nicholas, Father Christmas, Santa Claus. Whatever you want to call him, he is the man.

A Krampus Christmas

(From Article) Krampus, a mythical creature who accompanies jolly old Santa and acts as his henchman. Instead of giving gifts to good children, Krampus' bestows punishment, beatings, and the like to children who misbehave.

According to custom, he hitches a ride on Santa's sleigh to bring along some seriously bad tidings. While Santa is handing out toys and candies to all the good little tots, Krampus' delivers the bad news to children who are naughty.

The word "Krampus" originates from the German word for claw (Krampen). In the Alpine regions, Krampus is represented by a goat-like demon creature with horns' and wooly fur, covered with soot from hells brimstone.

Christmas shopping in St. Nick’s old Turkish neighbourhood

Christmas shopping in St. Nick’s old Turkish neighbourhood

UK Bishop: Santa Hijacked Christmas!

Santa Claus has been "hijacked" in Britain into becoming a Father Christmas of a "thousand adverts", a senior Church of England bishop has warned.
The Rt Rev Dr Alan Smith, Bishop of St Albans, said the message of "selfless" St Nicholas - the saint who inspired Santa Claus - had been lost in favour of "pester power" and materialism.
The saint, a fourth century bishop of Myra in present day Turkey, was renowned for his generosity and his love of children, Dr Smith said in his Christmas message.
According to one story, St Nicholas saved three girls whose family had been unable to pay marriage dowries from being sold into prostitution by throwing three bags of gold coins into their open window one night, he said.
Dr Smith urged parents to put inexpensive oranges and gold chocolate coins into children's Christmas stockings as a way of remembering the saint.

Dec. 6th Pawnbrokers Give Music

On December 6th, the National Pawnbrokers Association is sponsoring our Second Annual Musical Instrument Gift Day. This special national event is in celebration of National Pawnbrokers Day, which coincides with St. Nicholas Day.  In the spirit of St. Nick’s compassion, generosity, and hope, pawn stores nationwide will work with Boys and Girls Clubs of America to donate musical instruments to children who need them most.  

Kris Krampus?

Along with a sleigh full of 19th century Santas, Kurt Reed on Saturday presented a figure of “Krampus”, the alter ego of Santa Claus unleashed on children who were naughty rather than nice. The old European tradition modeled this devilish creature holding a switch, was sometimes known as anti-St, Nicholas. Reed, a local historian from Lake Ariel, shared his collection of old Santa figures and early Christmas decorations at an open house held by the Dorflinger Suydam Sanctuary in White Mills. He spoke at the restored 1867 Worker’s Cottage.  Did you know that early Santa stories had him actually small enough to fit down the chimney, and his coat was not necessarily red?  Some versions had him with blue pants. He didn’t have reindeer until 1821.  Much of our current tradition originated with American editorial cartoonist Thomas Nast (1840-1902), who drew for Harper’s Weekly. Thanks to Nast, Santa established his base at the North Pole.  Kathryn Lee Bates, who wrote “America the Beautiful,” introduced Santa to his wife in 1889, in a children’s poem Bates penned. Mrs. Claus’s name? Jessica!

Welcome 2010 Christmas

Sinterklass is Coming to Town

Nicholas on Demand for Return of His Bones?

"Over my dead body, infidels."

Headless Nick Says "Death To Santa"

Message from the grave of Mary Mapes Dodge:

PSA: Santa is not coming to town

Public Service Announcement from the ASLAN Society: Santa is NOT coming to town.