Saint Nicholas of Myra is believed to have been born on March 15, 270 in the city of Myra in Asia Minor (now modern day Turkey) during the rule of the Roman Empire. So many miracles were attributed to him that he became known as Nicholas the Wonderworker. Saint Nicholas became the patron saint of sailors, merchants, repentant thieves, and children, His legendary habit of secret gift-giving gave rise to the traditional model of Santa Claus (“Saint Nick”) through Sinterklaas.
In recent years, Santa Claus became increasingly old and cranky. On December 8, 2020, Sabello DeCarlo brought her son to visit Santa at the Harlem Irving Plaza in Chicago. Unfortunately, jolly old St. Nick wasn’t in a festive mood and when the young lad asked Santa for a nerf gun, Santa adamantly declared, “No guns; you’ll shoot your eye out.” The child was reduced to tears.
