Is Santa real: How did you find out?

Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, Father Christmas or Santa Claus? However you want to call him, Santa Claus has been around for centuries giving presents to good little boys and girls. But when you find out the truth of Santa…. devastating. 

Santa, or Saint Nicholas, was born in the ancient city of Lycian, a seaport city in Patara, Turkey. In his youth he traveled to Palestine and Egypt where in Myra he became a bishop, then left going back to his home city Lycian. Nicholas was kind and generous to everyone giving out miracles or gifts to the poor and the unhappy. The tradition of Santa arrived in the United States by Dutch families taking the tradition of celebrating the feast of Saint Nicholas. In the 17 century, people in New Amsterdam, now called New York, called him Sinterklaas. Early english-speaking folk called him Santa Claus. His legend was of a kind old man that gives presents to the good children and punishes the bad children.“Naughty and nice”. Nowadays, Santa Claus is everywhere in movies (with countless variations of him), stores and Coca Cola commercials. You name it,  he’s there. 

As young children,the happiest feelings arrive Christmas morning while rushing downstairs and seeing presents under the tree knowing certain presents are from the big man himself.  Sadly, as we get older parents have to break the unfortunate news to children. 

“I found out at six, I just didn’t believe that this man could travel around the world in one night. So I went to my sister and she told me the truth,” said Alivia Fortson, a Sophomore at Central York High School (CYHS).

It was the subtle things like handwriting.

“I noticed the handwriting and knew it was my dad’s,” said Jocelyn Moser, Freshman at CYHS

Or curiosity got the best of them and found the treasure trove of gifts.

“I went looking around and found presents and knew,” Said  Jonathan James, Senior at CYHS

Some parents just don’t tell them that Santa is real in the first place

“My parents never told me that Santa was real,” Said Katie Kopp, Sophomore at CYHS