Long ago, in the city of Myra, in what is now Turkey, there lived a bishop named Nicholas. Nicholas was no ordinary bishop: he loved to help the poor, and he loved to help them in secret. He wanted no fame and no thanks. He only wanted to do good, just the way Jesus taught. And this is his most famous story, told from parents to children for more than one thousand seven hundred years.

The Poor Family

In that same city of Myra lived a man who had three daughters. Once upon a time he had been rich, with a big house, good food, and fine clothes. But he lost all his money and became poor, very poor. Now he lived in a tiny house and had almost nothing to eat. His three daughters were lovely and kind, but they went about feeling sad. And soon you will understand why.

The Problem

In those days, for a young woman to marry, her family had to give the groom a gift of great value, called a dowry. It could be money or precious things. Without a dowry, no young man would agree to marry. And the father of the three sisters had no money at all, not even a single coin. Without dowries, his daughters could never marry, and they might be left alone and helpless forever.

At night, the father wept by himself:

"I cannot take care of my daughters. What will become of them?"

Nicholas Finds Out

One day, Bishop Nicholas was walking through the city, as he always did: visiting the poor, asking how they were, helping whoever was in need. And that was when someone told him about the man with three daughters.

"Bishop, there is a very poor man who has no dowries for his daughters. He is in despair."

Nicholas felt his heart ache, and he decided to help. But he did not want anyone to know, because he always helped in secret. So he came up with an idea.

The First Night

That night, when everything was dark and everyone was asleep, Nicholas slipped out of his house in a dark cloak, carrying a heavy bag. What was inside? Gold. He walked without a sound to the poor man's house. The window stood open, because of the heat. Nicholas came up close, lifted the bag and — plop — tossed the gold through the window. The bag landed inside the house, and Nicholas hurried away into the dark.

The father woke at the noise. He lit a candle and saw, on the floor, a bag full of gold. He rubbed his eyes, hardly believing it. Where had it come from? He ran to the window, but there was no one there: Nicholas was already gone. The man wept for joy.

"It's a miracle! God has heard my prayers!"

Now he had a dowry for his eldest daughter. And not long after, she met a good young man and was married.

The Second Night

A few months later, it was the second daughter's turn to marry. But the money was gone, and there was no dowry left. The father began to worry all over again. Nicholas, though, was paying attention, and he knew the family still needed help. On a dark night he went out once more, in his cloak, with another bag of gold. He walked silently to the house and — plop — tossed the second bag through the window.

The father woke again and found another bag of gold on the floor. He ran to the window, but just like the first time, no one was there. Nicholas was quick. The man wept with emotion, wondering: God is taking care of me — but who can this angel be? With that money, the second daughter was married too. Now only the youngest daughter was left.

The Third Night

More time passed, and the youngest daughter needed a dowry too. The father kept thinking: will the mysterious helper come again? And he made up his mind: this time he would find out who it was. He hid near the window and stayed awake all night, watching. Meanwhile, Nicholas prepared the third bag of gold and walked silently to the house, just like before. But this time, the father was watching.

Nicholas came close and tossed the third bag through the window. At once the father dashed out of the house and caught up with the mysterious visitor before he could slip away.

"Wait, wait! Who are you?"

Nicholas tried to hide his face with his cloak, but the father recognized him.

"Bishop Nicholas? Is it you?"

The secret had been discovered.

The Secret Revealed

The man fell to his knees, weeping with gratitude.

"Thank you, thank you! You have saved my family. How can I ever repay you?"

"Please, tell no one," Nicholas asked. "I only did what Jesus would want."

"But Bishop, you saved us. I must thank you."

Nicholas answered kindly:

"If you want to thank me, help other people whenever you can. Pass the kindness on."

And the man promised to keep the secret as long as Nicholas lived.

A Happy Ending

The third daughter was married as well, and the three sisters raised happy families. They always told their children that a saint named Nicholas had saved their family. Bishop Nicholas went on helping the poor for the rest of his life — always in secret, always with love, always the way Jesus taught. And he became one of the most beloved saints in the world.

Why Did Saint Nicholas Become Santa Claus?

This story spread all across Europe, and people began to imitate Saint Nicholas, giving secret gifts to the poor. On the eve of Saint Nicholas Day, December 6, parents would hide presents for their children and say that Saint Nicholas had brought them. Over time, the tradition slowly changed shape. In Dutch, Saint Nicholas is "Sinterklaas," which became "Santa Claus," which became the Santa we know. And Santa's red clothes remind us of the bishop's robes that Saint Nicholas wore.

Saint Nicholas Today

Saint Nicholas lived more than one thousand seven hundred years ago, but he is still one of the most beloved saints in the world. In Greece, Russia, Italy, and many other countries, people celebrate his feast day on December 6, and children set their shoes by the window, hoping for gifts. There are churches dedicated to him and cities named after him. He is the patron saint of sailors, of children, and, in a special way, of the poor.