Santa’s List Day – December 4, 2024

History of Santa’s List Day

The story of Santa’s List Day and how it began has several versions. Perhaps like the story of the man himself, Santa’s List Day is an amalgamation of numerous histories and folklore traditions. Santa’s List Day marks the day he makes a list of naughty and nice children, and the proverbial list lets him decide what to bring each child for Christmas. To understand how Santa’s List Day began, let’s delve into the history of the man himself. The origins of Santa Claus are steeped in folklore. We know him as the jolly man in red who brings presents to children each Christmas; however, his story goes back to numerous Christmas traditions.

Most people believe that Santa Claus was a monk named St Nicholas who lived during the third century. Over time, St Nicholas became known as the protector of children and sailors. The story of St Nicholas adapted through the age. By the 18th century, the legend of St Nicholas made inroads into American popular culture when Dutch families gathered to honor the death anniversary of ‘Sinterklaas’ (Dutch for St Nicholas). Gift-giving and Santa Claus’ role in all of it became a part of Christmas tradition in the 19th century. Santa Claus was everywhere – from the streets of New York to shopping malls and advertisements.

But the defining moment came with Clement Mark Moore’s poem, “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” The poem describes a jolly old man flying from house to house, shimmying up and down chimneys with ease to leave presents for deserving children – also known as the ones on his nice list.