DONT THROW SANTA [or St. Nick ] OUT w/ the BATH WATER 🛀 "Bringing the Spirit of (Medieval) Santa Back to Christmas " Anxious Bench

"In the world of medieval England, St. Nicholas was not celebrated at Christmas; he was celebrated before Christmas on December 6. His story emphasized a man who gave his riches to help those in need, especially children. A fourteenth-century Middle English sermon
explains that "Saint Nicholas is highly praised" because of his "great compassion." It then tells the most famous story about St. Nicholas: a father desperate to save his family from poverty decided to send his young..."

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/anxiousbench/2016/11/santa-christian-important-christmas/