Who Is Saint Nicholas? Folk Hero, Fairy-Tale Figure, Legend, or Saint?
Saint Nicholas—folk Nicholas, fairy-tale Nicholas, legendary Nicholas—are they all the same person, or are they different characters who grew together across time?
Countless stories, customs, and traditions swirl around his name. No wonder children sometimes struggle to understand who he really is: Is he Grandfather Frost? Santa Claus? Father Christmas? A kind old man who brings gifts? Or a real person who once lived and is now in Heaven?
The Fairy-Tale Nicholas
In children’s imaginations, Nicholas can move in any magical way he wishes:
– in sleighs filled with presents, drawn by spirited horses or northern reindeer;
– on the little Bethlehem donkey;
– or simply on foot, accompanied by angels—and sometimes even a mischievous imp with rods to spank naughty kids.
He may resemble mom or dad, a neighbor, or a mysterious stranger with a long white beard. This nimble old man can slip through chimneys, locked doors, windows, or tiny cracks, or rely on the voluntary help of his many assistants. Like Santa, he may enjoy warm milk and cookies. His gifts appear under pillows, under Christmas trees, in shoes, stockings, or on windowsills…
Children write letters to him and trust wholeheartedly that the mail reaches him—whether in Heaven or somewhere in the snowy North.
This is Nicholas the Fairy-Tale Figure.
The Folk and Legendary Nicholas
Adults also turn to Nicholas, though their requests are usually more serious:
– for protection in travels, especially by sea;
– for healthy livestock;
– for the birth of children (as the biography about Ukrainian writer Mykola Hohol suggests);
– for healing and deliverance.
Some believe Nicholas not only helps in times of trouble, but can also discipline those who mock faith, show disrespect toward him, or damage a church dedicated to his name.
Legends about Nicholas of Myra describe his charitable deeds during life and his miracles after death. Some even place him in stories reaching before the Great Flood. This is Nicholas of folk tradition and Christian legend.
The Historical Saint Nicholas
But who was he truly—the historical Saint Nicholas?
Since he lived a very long time ago, at the turn of the 3rd and 4th centuries, separating facts from legend is difficult. It is quite likely he participated as a bishop in the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea. Perhaps he contributed to the early formulation of the Nicene Creed. Perhaps.
If the stories about his earthly life are accurate, then for children who are capable of deeper understanding, the best ways to honor Nicholas may not be letters, cookies, and gifts, but rather imitation of the saint’s faithfulness:
– praying for a friend, neighbor, their country, or a distant land;
– giving secret material help to someone in need;
– learning the Creed;
– writing a letter to a grandparent or someone who would be blessed to receive it;
– creating a handmade encouragement card;
– preparing a small secret gift.
What We Know for Certain
If Saint Nicholas is in Heaven—as Christian tradition affirms—then he is there not because of his own merits, but because he wore the righteousness of Christ. The real Nicholas, I believe, would not delight in rewarding children only for good behavior and threatening them with rods for bad behavior. Such ideas distort the heart of the Gospel, which teaches that salvation comes by grace, a freely given gift from Christ—not through human achievements.
Good works are not the price of grace but its response.
The real Nicholas shows us that we should not encourage children to expect or demand gifts. Instead, we should give them opportunities to practice mercy—to offer their time, their prayers, their resources for the sake of others. I fully support giving children presents on Saint Nicholas Day. But I support an even more important focus:
not on “for me,” but on “for you.”
Not self-centered giving, but Christ-centered generosity.
The Cloud of Witnesses
The Scripture teaches us about those who were faithful to God before us:
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily entangles us,
and let us run with perseverance the race set before us,
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith.”
(Hebrews 12:1–2)
If Saint Nicholas is among that “cloud of witnesses,” then—like every saint—he desires that we:
– cast off burdens and sins;
– persevere and strive in faith, like runners in an ancient relay race;
– keep our gaze fixed on Jesus Christ.
Every saint, including Nicholas, wants one thing above all:
that our eyes, hearts, thoughts, motives, and actions remain centered on Christ.
That is what truly makes the feast worthy of the saint whose name it bears.