9 Books About The 'Real' Santa Claus And The History of Christmas (PHOTOS)

Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas, St. Nick ... A big, fat guy in a red suit with a fluffy white beard. All Americans are familiar with the icon of Christmas, but what about the myth behind the North Pole native? Who is Santa? Where did he come from and what does he represent?

Luckily, there exists a bevy of books that uncover the myth beneath Christmas. Here are 9 books that tell the true story of Santa. Do you know of others? Let us know in the comment section below.

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There Really Is a Santa Claus: The History of St. Nicholas & Christmas Holiday Traditions

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"There Really Is a Santa Claus: The History of St. Nicholas & Christmas Holiday Traditions" by William J. Federer

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"There Really Is a Santa Claus: The History of St. Nicholas & Christmas Holiday Traditions" by William J. Federer

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Comments

[ThomasPaine1776]

04:21 AM on 12/26/2010

Christmas is so stupid, i can't believe people do it.

[farmilyman]

02:41 AM on 12/25/2010

The real history of Santa Claus is based on the mushroom Amanita muscaria

[TYRANNASAURUS]

11:44 AM on 12/24/2010

I remember reading something about St. Nicholas being created in Turkey which sounds about right since Nicholas is I believe a Byzantine name.

[gappedtoothgodwarrior]

10:40 PM on 12/30/2010

It's Greek certainly. I know, it's my actual name. :)

[NoSandwiches]

08:46 PM on 12/23/2010

too many focus on st Nicholas instead of searching back further.

[commonsense79]

05:29 PM on 12/23/2010

Christmas, the most controversial Holiday! I don't BUY ino it but love the feeling of the season.

[yavuz]

07:14 PM on 12/22/2010

santo comes form Turkey, not the north pole (pretty shocking to some americans, huh?)

[lastpost]

11:24 AM on 12/22/2010

4 of 10 “Christmas: A Candid History”
Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin, at the beginning. Once upon a time it was Santa’s task to deliver not only the presents, but the Christmas trees as well. So it was that, after traveling the world one particularly inclement Yuletide eve, the old gentleman had just collapsed into his favorite armchair. Suddenly, the log cabin door banged open, revealing the petulant personage of the Queen of the fairies herself.
“I’ve just done the annual stock take”, she announced unsympathetically, “and I’ve discovered you’ve failed to deliver this fir tree. What do you want me to do with it?”
And that, best beloved, is why you will often find a fairy on top of a tree…

[Sister777]

09:50 AM on 12/22/2010

I hope one of the books show that Santa Clause and the reindeer are from the aminita mushroom. Because that is why santa is red and reindeer fly.

http://perdurabo10.tripod.com/galleryg/id13.html

[Kringle]

08:55 AM on 12/22/2010

I find it rather incredible that Robin Chrichton's "Who Is Santa Claus?" didn't make the list:

ISBN: 0-86241-160-2