THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF SANTA CLAUS

Caroline Clemmons' Book Review of THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF SANTA CLAUS, (by) as told to Jeff Guinn

Because I love this time of year, I thought I’d give you a review of the book THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF SANTA CLAUS, as told to Jeff Guinn. This is not a new book, but came out in 2003. In fact, Jeff Guinn now has several follow-up books available. I read the first of the series several years ago. Don’t worry, this review does not contain spoilers.

St. Nicholas

I was relieved to learn the Santa Claus/Saint Nicholas tradition was not a marketing ploy concocted by Madison Avenue. There really was a Saint Nicholas in the sixth century, and he really did go about giving gifts. Okay, he didn’t crawl down the chimney. Homes didn’t have actual chimneys as we know them back then. Many just had a hole in the roof. Not too cozy in bad weather.

Saint Nicholas’ first known gifts were to the daughters of a very poor man. The girls couldn’t marry without a dowry, but their father had none to offer. Each girl had only one pair of stockings and washed that pair at bedtime and hung it by the fire to dry overnight. Taking pity on the girls, Saint Nicholas either (1) tossed bags of gold through the window or (2) put the coins in the stockings the girls left drying by the fire each night. Thus, the girls were able to marry (and, hopefully, each got a second pair of stockings).

Santa relaxes on December 25th

Saint Nicholas was an actual person who went around giving to the poor and helping all those he could. In other words, he did what we’re all supposed to do.  Remarkable that he did what he could in a time when the poor were looked down upon. Remarkable that doing what was right created so much notoriety and controversy and gave him a permanent place in history. Remarkable that we continue his legacy by giving to those we love and, hopefully, to those in need. Whether you call him Saint Nicholas, Santa Claus, or Father Christmas, thanks for continuing his legacy.