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"The present-day Santa, in his most secular manifestation, is divorced from the spiritual moorings and motivation of the real-life Nicholas. But he still personifies goodness and a kind of justice, which might help explain the terror that arises in some children when they enter his presence. The evolution of the Nicholas story, beyond attesting to the American spirit of entrepreneurial innovation, bears out the overwhelming need people feel to believe in something and to celebrate something greater than themselves—even if it means making it up.

Don't miss Christianity Today's related feature, ""Reclaiming Santa" | Ed Butchart's year-round mission to recover the true spirit of St. Nicholas.

Read up on Nicholas, bishop of Myra from storyteller Barry McWilliams, Britannica.com, as well as Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic perspectives.Christian History also offers perspective on the real St. Nick.

The Confessions of St. Nicholas , a novel by Richard Eads, tells the story of St. Nicholas, in self-imposed exile in a northern land, trying to write an account of his life as a way of putting it behind him.

Read the Dutch legend of Sinterklaas.

Christian Parenting Today tackles "The Santa Question," giving advice on how to help kids separate holiday fact from fiction.

Christianity Today's previous Christmas stories include:

CT Classic: C.S. Lewis on Christmas | Lewis summed up Christmas in one sentence: 'The Son of God became a man to enable men to become the sons of God.' (Dec. 23, 2000)

CT Classic: Bethlehem on a Budget | Planning a church budget and the Christmas story share surprising similarities (Dec. 23, 1999)

Christ Is Born, Let Us Keep the Feast and Leap Before Him | A 1,619-year-old Christmas sermon reminds us why we celebrate. (Dec. 23, 1999)

Is Christmas Pagan? | Christians found ways to redeem local cultures and salvage those elements that naturally pointed to Christ. (Dec. 6, 1999)

CT Classic: Christmas and the Modern Jew | Christians often seem to lack both good missionary strategies toward Jews and sensitivity to their situation in life. (Dec. 3, 1999)

Giftwrapping God | Our Christmas celebrations try to hide the nakedness of the Incarnation. (Dec. 8, 1997)

Christmas Unplugged | Why spending less and turning off TV should be part of the church's mission to the world. (Dec. 9, 1996)

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December 4 2000, Vol. 44, No. 14