Accidental Blogger

Season’s Greetings to one and all – traditional good wishes from Accidental Blogger to the readers. Here are somewhat more unorthodox  holiday wishes – just to break the monotony. 

Not everyone likes frivolity around Christmas – especially not the residents of Santa’s hometown (no, it is not the North Pole).

"ANKARA, TURKEY — What’s a huge plastic Santa Claus doing among palm trees in a seaside town in Turkey?  The mayor’s answer is simple: He’s back home.

Suleyman Topcu put up the statue in the Mediterranean town of Demre to honor its favorite son — St. Nicholas, the inspiration for the Santa legend.  Some residents are horrified, however, especially since the Santa statue, replete with fluffy white beard and red-and-white outfit, replaced a more solemn sculpture of St. Nicholas that was a gift from the Orthodox Christian community.

St. Nicholas served as bishop of Demre in the 4th century. The legend of his generosity spread around the world and became interwoven with mythical stories of the jolly gift-giver. For many Orthodox Christians, St. Nicholas is an object of deep veneration rather than the Father Christmas known to millions around the world. Hundreds of Greek and Russian Orthodox worshippers commemorate St. Nicholas’ death every Dec. 6 in the church of St. Nicholas in Demre, where he was originally entombed.

Topcu acknowledged that some people were upset with the town’s new statue.

"I can’t say 100 percent that all are happy with it," said Topcu. "If needed, we could put the statue of St. Nicholas back."

Legend has it that one night St. Nicholas threw a sack of gold through the open window of a poverty-stricken man who could not pay the wedding dowries of his three daughters. The next night, he tossed a second sack.  On the third night, the window was closed and St. Nicholas climbed onto the roof and dropped the sack down the chimney, which landed in the girls’ stockings drying in the fireplace.

The Santa character later took on the white beard of the Norse god Odin and Odin’s eight-legged flying horse became eight reindeer.