Saint Nicholas: the Truth Behind Santa Claus VII of X

The Night Before Christmas

As everyone knows, Santa miraculously rides upon the heavens as he delivers his gifts and love. He has been described for so long, by so many, riding across the sky with his reindeers guiding his merry way, you can almost see Santa as you gaze up in the sky. The famous poem The Night Before Christmas describes this amazing, flying, red-clothed, bearded, whited-haired, super-man:

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too

Following Satan’s ". . . I will be like the most high. . ." in Deuteronomy 33:26

There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.Deuteronomy 33:26

It’s also interesting in Ephesians 2:2, Satan is depicted as "the prince of the power of the air. . ."

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Ephesians 2:2

Santa’s Little Helpers?
Santa has some cute little helpers called elves. Webster’s Dictionary has an interesting definition for the friendly elf:

ELF
1. A wandering spirit; a fairy; a hobgoblin; an imaginary being which our rude ancestors supposed to inhabit unfrequented places, and in various ways to affect mankind. . .
2. An evil spirit; a devil.
(Webster's Dictionary “elf”)

The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft has some interesting insights into Santa's Little Helpers. For instance, elves are Satan's fallen angels:

A host of supernatural beings and spirits who exist between earth and heaven. . . Fairies [Elves] are fall angels. When God cast Lucifer from heaven, the angels who were loyal to Lucifer plunged down toward hell with him.
(Rosemary Ellen Guiley, The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft, p. 115)

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.Revelation 12:9

The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft also writes that some elves have an appetite for human blood:

Some fairies [elves] were said to suck human blood like vampires.
(Rosemary Ellen Guiley, The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft, p. 116)

An interesting trick concerning elves is also given in The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft (p. 117). It seems some elves will grant peoples' wish and give them gifts – if that person will only deny their Christian faith! Elves are found in the writings of Satanist and new age-theosophy guru H.P. Blavatsky. She claims elves are "disembodied spirits," used in "magic and sorcery" and are "the principal agents in . . . seances." (H.P. Blavatsky, Isis Unveiled, Vol I, p. 262) Elves are also called trolls. Cathy Burns writes in Masonic and Occult Symbols Illustrated:

. . . the word troll comes from the Old Norse word for demon and is defined by some sources as a "devil": a person of great wickedness or maliciousness. . . Of course, Santa has his elves, too.
(Cathy Burns, Masonic and Occult Symbols Illustrated, p. 67)

Elf: A small, often mischievous creature considered to have magical powers.' Although some of these creatures may appear cute on the surface, all of them are nonetheless demonic entities that have their origin in the occult world.
(Cathy Burns, Masonic and Occult Symbols Illustrated, p. 77)

The Dictionary of Symbolism states about elves:

Living beneath the surface of the earth, they have ties to the word of the dead; these "little people" are often thought of as inhabitants of the underworld [hell].
(Hans Biedermann, Dictionary of Symbolism, p. 107)

Before you completely discount elves to the world of fantasy and kooks, consider the research of Dr. Kurt Koch. Dr. Koch is without question the world's foremost authority on demonism and the occult. Dr. Koch, a devout Christian, has spent a life-time traveling world-wide, researching and documenting the real-world of demonism, devils and the occult. Dr. Koch has three complete pages documenting "Goblins and Elves" in his book Occult ABC. Dr. Koch writes of elves:

These elves often appear to children and even play with them. The moment an adult comes on the scene, the elves disappear. . . If a person wants their help, he must apply to their chief, the devil himself. This however, would cost a person his salvation. The idea these spirits are demonic in origin is in accordance with the Bible.
(Kurt Koch, Occult ABC, p. 82, 83)

Dr. Koch claims these elves' "chief" is the "devil himself" – Santa's Little Helpers. Notice how Dr, Koch and others keep linking these elves back to children. The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft says elves, "love to visit new born babies of mortals. . ." (Rosemary Ellen Guiley, The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft, p. 116) In Dr. Koch's book (pp. 82-85), he gives four detailed, documented actual accounts involving elves or demons. Dr. Koch, has encountered so many elf-demonic experiences, he says, "One could write a book just about these little people like the tomter [elves], but that is not my task." (Kurt Koch, Occult ABC, p. 83) The great German Reformer Martin Luther also had encounters with elves or goblins. In his Table Talk book, Luther writes on one occasion:

The goblin [elf] jolted me in bed. But I took little notice of him. When I was almost asleep, he began such a rumbling on the stairs that you would have thought someone was throwing three score barrels of wine down them. I stood up, went to the stairs, and called out 'If it is you, so be it,' Then I committed myself to the Lord, of whom it is written, 'Thou hast put all things under His feet,' and went back to bed. That is the best way to get rid of him: to scorn him and call on Christ, That he cannot bear'.
(cited in Kurt Koch, Occult ABC, p. 84)

The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft writes, "Many contemporary Witches believe in fairies [elves] and some see them clairvoyantly." (Rosemary Ellen Guiley, The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft, p. 117) In fact, the very popular book teaching witchcraft to teenagers titled Teen Witch by witch-author Silver RavenWolf even contains a spell to invoke elves. The spell called "Elf Locker Spell" is a spell to keep people from breaking into a teenagers school locker. The spell conjures up elves to protect their locker. Witch RavenWolf details the spell:

At school, hang the mirror, asking the locker elves (yes, there are elves in school) to protect the locker (Silver RavenWolf, Teen Witch, Wicca for a New Generation, p. 215).

Then the teen witch does some other silly, stupid stuff, and casts their spell (which the book gives in detail). The end of the spell is very, very interesting. Here's what RavenWolf writes, "At home, set the milk and honey outside to nourish the fairies. (p. 215)" Did you say "milk and honey"? Can you say "Ho, Ho, Ho"?

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Saint Nicholas: the Truth Behind Santa Claus VI of X

Santa is a Carpenter?



Mark 6:3 tells us the Lord Jesus Christ was a carpenter.

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. Mark 6:3

Santa is no plumber, or electrician, or blacksmith. Santa is a carpenter. Surprise. Surprise. Wow! Who would have ever guessed it! What a coincidence. Oh yea, remember the God-Thor? His symbol is a hammer.

---

His house. . . was toward the north (Ezekiel 8:14)

---

Everyone knows Santa lives at the North Pole. Brrr. . . Why the north pole? Nobody lives at the North Pole. . . Why did they pick the NORTH Pole?

Could it possibly be because someone else lives in the north?

Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD'S house which was toward the north; . . . Ezekiel 8:14

1 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.
2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. Psalm 48:1-2

The Lord dwells in "the north, the city of the great King". By the way, remember what Lucifer said in Isaiah 14:13, when he rebelled against God? Remember where he was going to exalt his throne?

12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Isaiah 14:12-14

Where else would Satan (oops. . . it’s just too easy to get those two mixed up) Claus be but in the NORTH.


The ever-familiar holly plant that decorates our Christmas world has a very interesting history. A very interesting history indeed. The iiex chinensis, better known as holly, is the substantial subject of myths and pagan worship. For instance, the pagan Romans decorated their houses and temples with the "sacred" holly, which represented their goddess Saturnalia. By the way, there's where our modern day custom of decorating with holly originated. Among history's most blatant devil-worshippers were the Druids. The Druids were known for their human sacrifices and the authors of our Halloween. The Druids wore the holly in their hair and considered the "holly" plant sacred, hence the name "holy" or "holly." The Druids also believed the "holy" berries represented the blood of their Goddess. (Hmmm. . . I wonder where they go that strange idea from?) As Christianity began spreading throughout the Roman world, the use of pagan holly was outlawed. Plant aficionado and author, Virginia Klara Nathan, writes:

"Ancient history says that the Druids used holly in their religious rites long before the custom came to the European continent. The Druids of ancient Britain and Gaul held the English holly tree sacred. The 'holy' connotation continued in later days in Europe, where the plant was widely believed to repel evil spirits. People planted trees and used their branches as protection against witchcraft, mad dogs, and other evils. With the coming of Christianity, the use of holly was condemned as a pagan ritual and forbidden by the Christian council."
(Nathan, Virginia Klara. "Red-Berried Hollies." Extension Technician, in The Virginia Gardener Newsletter, Volume 7, Number 12. qtd at )

Nathan also writes as many of the condemned pagan practices, began infilturating Christianity the thorny pagan holly plant became symbolic with the "crown of thorns" that the Lord Jesus Christ wore. The Germans even refer to the holly plant as Christdorn - meaning, "Christ's crown of thorns."

But Christian Romans continued to decorate with holly during festive seasons. European Christian symbolism included the belief that the spiny leaves and red berries were a reminder of the crown of thorns and the blood of Christ. The Pennsylvania Dutch held that the plant's white flowers represented Jesus' purity. The Germans called this plant Christdorn, Christ's crown of thorns. They thought holly had white berries until they were stained by Christ's blood. (Nathan, Virginia Klara. "Red-Berried Hollies." Extension Technician, in The Virginia Gardener Newsletter, Volume 7, Number 12. qtd at )
Not surprisingly, considering the holly plant's storied ancestry, many writers believe the actual "crown of thorns" wore by the Lord Jesus Christ, was indeed the familiar "holly" wreath. Another plant enthusiast writes of the holly plant and it's portrayal of the "crown of thorns": Holly lost its pagan associations and became a symbol of Christmas, with the sharply pointed leaves symbolizing the crown of thorns which Jesus was made to wear prior to his crucifixion, and the berries becoming a symbol of the blood of Christ. Some refer to Holly as the Holy Tree and claim that it grew in Christ's footsteps. The white flowers represent Jesus's purity and birth, and the bitter bark is said to represent the passion. Some writers hold that holly was actually the plant which did actually form the crown of thorns and that the berries were originally white before being stained by Christ's blood. ("Holly Plant, Christmas Plants and Flowers," http://www.piglette.com/christmas/holly-plant.html) And it is not surprising, one of the many portraits of good 'ol Santa blasphemously portrays him wearing the "holy" crown, symbolic of the Saviour's "crown of thorns." One author writes of this portrait of Santa or Father Christmas wearing the "crown of thorns":

Originating in England, Father Christmas was depicted as a friendly fellow wearing a crown of holly and a scarlet or green fur-lined robe. To many, this wreath of holly represented the crown of thorns that Jesus wore when He was crucified and the red berries are symbolic of the blood He shed."
("Santalady's Favorite Antique Post Cards and Related Traditions Picture," www.santalady.com/cards.html)

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Saint Nicholas: the Truth Behind Santa Claus V of X

His head and his hairs [his beard] were white like wool, as white as SNOW. . . A perfect description of . . . Guess Who?

Who's got a beard that's long and white
Santa's got a beard that's long and white

Must be Santa Must be Santa
Must be Santa, Santa Clause

It is also . . . The Lord Jesus Christ in Revelation 1.

13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
14 His head and his hairs [BEARD] were white like wool, as white as snow;. . . Revelation 1:13-15

The poem The Night Before Christmas describes Old St. Nick as:

"He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes – how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;"

Daniel 7:9 describes the Lord Jesus, as the "Ancient of days" with white hair, "like the pure wool."

I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: . . . Daniel 7:9

Remember Claude Lévi-Strauss's popular essay of "Father Christmas":

Father Christmas is dressed in scarlet: he is a king. His white beard, his furs and his boots, the sleigh in which he travels evoke winter. He is called 'Father' and he is an old man, thus he incarnates the benevolent form of the authority of the ancients.

He is a Father. . . dressed in scarlet. . . He is a king. . . white beard. . . incarnate. . . authority of the ancients. Who is Lévi-Strauss really describing?



Who wears boots and a suit of red Santa wears boots and a suit of red Cap on head, suit that's red Special night, beard that's white Must be Santa Must be Santa Must be Santa, Santa Clause And must be. . . (Are you surprised?) The Lord Jesus Christ?

1 Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.
2 Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? Isaiah 63:1-2

11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. Revelation 19:11

Hmmm. . . ? Now who has their feet in an furnace? Who comes down a chimney into a furnace?

chim * ney
1. a structure, usually vertical, containing a passage or flue by which the smoke, gases, etc., of a fire or furnace are carried off and by means of which a draft is created
(Webster’s Dictionary)

Santa Claus. . . And you already know who else.

13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. Revelation 1:13-15

Satan was not just kidding when he said in Isaiah 14:14, ". . . I will be like the most High." The Lord Jesus warned us in John 10 about those that ". . . entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way [say a chimney]. . ."

10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way [like a chimney], the same is a thief and a robber.
2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:1, 2, 9,10

A little interesting history on Santa and his chimney:

It seems the chimney tale came to us via Thor, the mythical god of fire and lightning. Satan (and Thor) are symbolized by the lightning bolt (Luke 10:18). Thor’s name means "thunder". The Thor story goes like this; Most families in the pre-patriarchal Scandinavian world would have an altar to Thor – their fireplace. Every year on his birthday, December 25^th (of course) Thor would come down the chimney to his altar of fire, and bring presents to the kiddies. (sound familiar?) Oh yea, Thor was "nicknamed" "Klaus of the cinders" or "Sinter Klaus" (a.k.a Santa Claus), because it was believed he would be "singed" as went into the fireplace.

Thor liked to wear furs in red for fire, and white for snow. He is usually pictured with a long white beard. He had a palace in the north. And he also rode through the sky in a sled pulled by two goats, named Gnasher and Crasher. (Sound like someone else we’ve heard of?) Another of Thor’s nickname was "Old Nick." Thor also carried a "trident" – the pitchfork of Satan.

Just a coincident. . . ? Hmmm. . . Thor the "god" of thunder, fire and lightning. The rock group KISS, who dressed as demons from hell spewing forth fire and blood in their concerts, has a song dedicated to the god of Thor titled God of Thunder. Some of the lyrics:

I was born on Olympus
To my father a son
I was raised by the demons
Trained to reign as the one
God of thunder and rock and roll. . .
I gather darkness to please me
And I command you to kneel
Before the God of thunder and rock and roll
The spell you're under
Will slowly rob you of your virgin soul
KISS, God of Thunder

There is also the mythological creature named Chimera (coming from the same root word "chim" as chim-ney). Chimera is a strange creature. It seems Chimera is part lion, part goat and part serpent. Chimera breathes fire and lives in the underworld called Hell. (Hans Biedermann, Dictionary of Symbolism, p. 67)

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Saint Nicholas: the Truth Behind Santa Claus IV of X

Santa

You ever noticed how easy it is to transform "Satan" from "Santa"? Just move the "n" to the end. "Satan" appears. . . Hmmm….

An internet Google search on "Satan Claus" [not Santa Claus – but SATAN Claus] found over 1,700 hits! Obviously, there are many that tie the two together.

The rearranging of letters (called anagrams) to hide secret names or words has long been practiced in the occult. The Jewish Encyclopedia writes of the Jewish occult book called the Cabala:

The golden age for anagrams began with the Cabala. The Platonists had strange notions as to the influence of anagrammatic virtues, particularly of anagrams evolved from names of persons. It is not surprising, therefore, that the cabalists, like all the Neoplatonists, pretended to discover occult qualities in proper names and in their anagrams. (www.jewishencyclopedia.com)

One of the most well known anagram in the occult world is the name of Sanat Kumara. Sanat is better known as Satan. Constance Cumbey, writes in her best-selling, new-age expose, The Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow, ". . . they [New Agers] freely call Sanat Kumara (Satan) 'God'. And their doctrinal reference books by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and Alice Ann Bailey freely cross-reference Sanat Kumara with Venus. In occult writings, Lucifer and Venus are one and the same." (Constance Cumbey, The Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow, p. 138)

Texe Marrs writes of 'Sanat' in Dark Secrets of the New Age:

. . . the New Age offers a being called Sanat Kumara. 'Sanat' is obviously a thinly veiled reference to Satan; nevertheless, New Age teachers evidently believe that the new spelling will alleviate the concerns of those not yet ready to confess Satan as their Lord and Messiah. (Texe Marrs, Dark Secrets of the New Age, pp. 79-80)

H.P. Blavatsky, the Satanist and new age teacher writes in The Secret Doctrine - (Complete Book Here):

Many a mysterious sacred name. . . conveys to the profane ear no more than some ordinary, and often vulgar [common] word, because it is concealed anagrammatically or otherwise. (H.P. Blavatsky, The Secret Doctrine, Vol II, p. 78)

Like S-A-N-T-A?

Blavatsky also writes:

"The name isn't important. It is the letters." (H.P. Blavatsky, The Secret Doctrine, Vol II, p. 350)

Blavatasky’s anagrams were used to disguise who her true god was. Blavatasky openly taught Satan is mankind’s true redeemer, creator and Saviour.

And now it stands proven that Satan, or the Red Fiery Dragon, the ‘Lord of Phosphorus’ and Lucifer, or ‘Light Bearer’, is in us; it is our Mind — our tempter and Redeemer, our intelligent liberator and Saviour. . . (HP Blavatasky, The Secret Doctrine p. 513)

Satan, the Serpent of Genesis is the real creator and benefactor, the Father of Spiritual mankind. For it is he . . . who opened the eyes of the automaton (Adam) created by Jehovah. . . he still remains in Esoteric Truth the ever loving messenger . . . (H.P. Blavatsky, The Secret Doctrine, Vol 3, p. 243

Gail Riplinger writes in her excellent book, New Age Versions on the use of anagrams in the occult world: Lucifer's True Identity as Satan is Revealed as the Anagram, a Transposition of Letters, To Obscure It. "Blinds," as esoterics call them, include scrambling the letters of a name to hide the true meaning of a word from the uninitiated. (Gail Riplinger, New Age Versions, p. 52)

It is interesting Mrs. Riplinger also raises a red flag about the anagram Santa:

Gods of the New Age include Sanatan and Sanatsiyata, . . . New Agers say each name is 'concealed anagrammatically' 'and are aliases,' and are 'an anagram used for Occult purposes. Is Santa, the great usurper of Christ's attention at Christmas, an anagram? "Ole Nick" is listed among the fallen angels or devils in the Dictionary of Fallen Angels. Scholars concur that Christ was born in the fall on the 4th day of the feast of tabernacles. December 25 is actually "the feast in honor of the birth of the son of the Babylonian queen of heaven, later called Saturnaha by the heathen Romans. (Gail Riplinger, New Age Versions, p. 52)

Santa is also from the Latin word sanctus which means also saintly, holy. Our English words "saint, sanctify, et al" comes from santa. Sounds like Satan’s "I will be like the most High" plan is in action.

Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy. Psalm 99:3

God’s name is called "holy" over 40 times in the King James Bible.

"Holy Claus". . .?

The name Santa Claus is also derived from the Dutch Sinter Klaas, which also was a form of Saint Nicholas.

What about Claus? The Alice Bailey founded new age, occult publishing company was originally named Lucifer Publishing Company but in 1924 the name was cleverly changed to Lucis Trust. By the way, the Lucifer worshipping Lucis Trust is a major player in the works of the United Nations, formerly located in the United Nations building but now located on prime-time 1200 Wall Street. Claus sounds a lot like "claws." Maybe Santa Claus means "Satan's Claws"? Like a lion's "claws"? Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:1 Peter 5:8

Jolly Old St. Nick While Santa and Claus may be disguising their real meaning – there is no disguising St. Nick. He is a well-known character.

Old Nick: A well-known British name of the Devil. It seems probable that this name is derived from the Dutch Nikken, the devil...(Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology, p.650)

Nick, the devil. (Walter W. Sleay, Concise Dictionary of English Etymology, p. 304)

Devil: Besides the name Satan, he is also called Beelzebub, Lucifer . . . and in popular or rustic speech by many familiar terms as Old Nick . . . (Oxford English Dictionary Vol III D-E)

Actor Adam Sandler and New Line Studios are obviously aware Nick is an alias for Satan. Their movie Little Nicky is about the son of Satan named Little Nicky. A teaser for the film says, "If your mother was an angel and your father was the devil you'd be messed up too." In the popular Cloud Ten Pictures "Apocalypse" film series Revelation, Tribulation, & Judgment, the Antichrist just so happens to be played by none other than the actor "Nick" Mancuso. Hmmm… The Cloud Ten Pictures are based on Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkin’s popular Left Behind Apocalypse book series. Oh, the name of the Antichrist in the Left Behind series? Nicolae "Nick" Carpathia, of course. In fact, one of the books in titled, Nicolae, The Rise of the Antichrist. It is also interesting, the book American Slang defines the slang word nick: to rob or steal. (Robert L. Chapman, American Slang, p. 297)

This is how the Lord Jesus characterizes the devil in John 10:

1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. . .
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:1,9,10

Father Christmas The Christmas Poem reads:

Hurry up please Christmas Day,
When Father Christmas on his sleigh,
Comes to pay a visit.
Into every house he creeps
While each of us soundly sleeps
While he pays a visit.

The famous anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss writes in his popular analysis of "Father Christmas":

Father Christmas is dressed in scarlet: he is a king. His white beard, his furs and his boots, the sleigh in which he travels evoke winter. He is called "Father" and he is an old man, thus he incarnates the benevolent form of the authority of the ancients.

In other words, Father Christmas is God incarnate. Levi-Strauss goes on to write that children believe in him, paying homage to him with letters and prayers. The Devil’s stated goal in Isaiah 14:13-14, is to be like God the Father. And what better "I will be like the most High. . - name to fame" than "Father of Christ-mass".

And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
Matthew 23:9

What about Kriss Kringle?

And there is the seemingly innocent, friendly, jingle-jangle name of Kriss Kringle.

By far, the name Kriss Kringle is the most blasphemous. With Kriss, Satan slowly removes the mask. There is no doubt about the intentions of "Kriss Kringle". Believe it or not. . . Kriss Kringle is German for "little Christ Child".

Kriss Kringle A US name for Santa Claus derived from the German Christkindl (little Christ child).
(Brewer's Dictionary of Twentieth-Century Phrase and Fable, p. 334)

Santa Claus or Kriss Kringle is the counterfeit "Christ Child"! Is it possible that these subtle allusions to Satan and counterfeit attacks at the Lord Jesus Christ are just merely coincidences? Keep reading. . . The evidence has just begun.

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Saint Nicholas: the Truth Behind Santa Claus III of X

The truth about the origin of Santa Claus.

Something else that fashioned our modern day Santa was the popular medieval Christmas plays of the tenth through the sixteenth century. These miracle, moral, mystery and passion dramas acted out scenes from the scriptures and the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church. Combining humor and religion, they flourished during the fifteenth century. It is significant that St. Nicholas was a dominant theme among these plays. Much of the myth and outlandish miracles of St. Nicholas originated from these dramas. And much of the bizarre characteristics of Santa were planted in these Christmas plays.

In the classic, Teutonic Mythology, author Jacob Grimm provides us with some revealing detail into St, Nicholas’s transformation into Santa. Notice in the following excerpt from Teutonic Mythology where Nicholas converts himself into the Knecht Ruprecht, a "man of Clobes" or a "man of Claus." Grimm states, the characters of Nicholas and Knecht Ruprecht "get mixed, and Clobes [Claus] himself is the "man."

The Christmas plays sometimes present the Saviour with His usual attendant Peter or else with Niclas [St. Nicholas]. At other times however Mary with Gabriel, or with her aged Joseph, who, disguised as a peasant, acts the part of Knecht Ruprecht Nicholas again has converted himself into a "man Clobes" or Rupert; as a rule there is still a Niclas, a saintly bishop and benevolent being distinct from the "man" who scares children; the characters get mixed, and Clobes himself acts the "man." (qtd. in Siefker, Phyllis. Santa Claus, Last of the Wild Men: The Origins and Evolution of Saint Nicholas. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc., 1997, p. 69)

From Grimm’s account, in the early 1100’s, the transformation of St. Nicholas into Santa Claus from the devil Knecht Ruprecht was in full throttle.There is not enough space in this book to adequately document the influence and inspiration of the medieval plays into the making of Santa, but let us examine Santa’s trademark "Ho! Ho! Ho!". Most people have no idea where this came from, and more important whom it came from. . .

In The Drama Before Shakespeare - A Sketch, author Frank Ireson, describes the popular Miracle Play. Notice the description of the devil as "shaggy, hairy," etc. (as Santa), and notice the devil’s trademark "exclamation on entering was ho, ho, ho!":

Besides allegorical personages, there were two standing characters very prominent in Moral Plays—the Devil and Vice. The Devil was, no doubt, introduced from the Miracle Plays, where he had figured so amusingly; he was made as hideous as possible by his mask and dress, the latter being generally of a shaggy and hairy character, and he was duly provided with a tail: his ordinary exclamation on entering was, "Ho, ho, ho! what a felowe [sic] am I."(Ireson, Frank. "The Drama Before Shakespeare - A Sketch." 1920 ) In these plays, the devil’s common entry line, known as the "devil’s bluster," was "Ho! Ho! Hoh!"(Siefker, Phyllis. Santa Claus, Last of the Wild Men: The Origins and Evolution of Saint Nicholas. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc., 1997, p. 69)

The devil’s trademark "ho, ho, ho" was carried over from the early medieval Miracle Plays to the popular old English play "Bomelio," as the following lines from the play verify:

What, and a' come? I conjure thee, foul spirit, down to hell! Ho, ho, ho! the devil, the devil! A-comes, a-comes, a-comes upon me,. . . (Dodsley, Robert. A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Vol. VI. The Project Gutenberg Ebook. )

Another extremely popular character dominating the medieval plays was Robin Goodfellow (Robin Hood was created from him). Robin Goodfellow was a caricature of the devil, dressed with horns, shaggy, furs, and cloven feet.

Author Gillian Mary Edwards in Hobgoblin and Sweet Puck, provides some interesting insight into Robin Goodfellow:

One of the most popular characters in English folklore of the last thousand years has been the faerie, goblin, devil or imp known by the name of Puck or Robin Goodfellow. The Welsh called him Pwca, which is pronounced the same as his Irish incarnation Phouka, Pooka or Puca. Parallel words exist in many ancient languages - puca in Old English, puki in Old Norse, puke in Swedish, puge in Danish, puks in Low German, pukis in Latvia and Lithuania – mostly with the original meaning of a demon, devil or evil and malignant spirit. . . (Edwards, Gillian Mary. Hobgoblin and Sweet Puck. London: Bles Publishers, 1974, p. 143)

In The History of a Hobgoblin, author Allen W. Wright, reveals "Robin itself was a medieval nickname for the devil" and "Robin's trademark laugh is "Ho Ho Ho!":

Robin Goodfellow appeared in more plays around 1600. And there were many 17th century broadside ballads about him. . . Robin's trademark laugh is "Ho Ho Ho!" . . . Robin itself was a medieval nickname for the devil. (Wright, Allen W. "The History of a Hobgoblin." )

The original author is hidden today, but the devil’s trademark "Ho! Ho! Ho!" was common knowledge before the coming of Santa Claus.

Author Tony Renterghem, concludes his extensive research into the origin of Santa with the following statement:

I can only conclude that the original ancestor of our modern Santa Claus is none other than the mythological Dark Helper-a faint memory of Herne/Pan, the ancient shamanic nature spirit of the Olde Religion. (Renterghem, Tony van. When Santa Was a Shaman. St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1995, p. 93)

Note: Herne or Pan is the horned god. It is common knowledge that Pan and Herne are popular names for Satan. The Satanic Bible lists Pan as one of the Infernal Names of Satan. (LaVey, Anton Szandor. The Satanic Bible. New York: Avon Books, Inc., 1969 p. 144)

After researching scores of books and material on the origin of Santa Claus, by far, the best book on this subject is Santa Claus, Last of the Wild Men: The Origins and Evolution of Saint Nicholas, authored by the late University of Kansas associate, Phyllis Siefker. This is no child’s book, but a scholarly exploration into the origin of Santa Claus. It is published by the prestigious McFarland Publishers, a leading publisher of reference and academic books. This book carries no Christian bias, but is simply a secular, non Christian scholastic study. With that in mind, the following analysis by Siefkler is even more alarming:

The fact is that Santa and Satan are alter egos, brothers; they have the same origin. . . On the surface, the two figures are polar opposites, but underneath they share the same parent, and both retain many of the old symbols associated with their "father" . . . From these two paths, he arrived at both the warmth of our fireplace and in the flames of hell. (Siefker, Phyllis. Santa Claus, Last of the Wild Men: The Origins and Evolution of Saint Nicholas. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc., 1997, p. 6)

Next we shall examine Santa in the light of the Word of God.

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Saint Nicholas: the Truth Behind Santa Claus II of X

Where did Santa come from?

Nearly all Santa researchers agree that some traits of Santa was borrowed from Norse [Scandinavian] mythology.

Encyclopedia Britannica describes the role of Nordic mythology in the life of Santa:

Sinterklaas was adopted by the country's English-speaking majority under the name Santa Claus, and his legend of a kindly old man was united with old Nordic folktales of a magician who punished naughty children and rewarded good children with presents. ("Santa Claus" Encyclopaedia Britannica 99)

Some Santa researchers associate Santa with the Norse "god" of Odin or Woden. Crichton describes Odin as riding through the sky on an eight-legged, white horse name Sleipnir. (Santa originally had eight reindeers, Rudolph was nine). Odin lived in Valhalla (the North) and had a long white beard. Odin would fly through the sky during the winter solstice (December 21-25) rewarding the good children and punishing the naughty. (Crichton, Robin. Who is Santa Claus? The Truth Behind a Living Legend. Bath: The Bath Press, 1987, pp. 55-56)

Mythologist Helene Adeline Guerber presents a very convincing case tracing Santa to the Norse god Thor in Myths of Northern Lands:

Thor was the god of the peasants and the common people. He was represented as an elderly man, jovial and friendly, of heavy build, with a long white beard. His element was the fire, his color red. The rumble and roar of thunder were said to be caused by the rolling of his chariot, for he alone among the gods never rode on horseback but drove in a chariot drawn by two white goats (called Cracker and Gnasher). He was fighting the giants of ice and snow, and thus became the Yule-god. He was said to live in the "Northland" where he had his palace among icebergs. By our pagan forefathers he was considered as the cheerful and friendly god, never harming the humans but rather helping and protecting them. The fireplace in every home was especially sacred to him, and he was said to come down through the chimney into his element, the fire. (Guerber, H.A. Myths of Northern Lands. New York: American Book Company, 1895, p. 61)Even today in Sweden, Thor represents Santa Claus. The book, The Story of the Christmas Symbols, records: Swedish children wait eagerly for Jultomten, a gnome whose sleigh is drawn by the Julbocker, the goats of the thunder god Thor. With his red suit and cap, and a bulging sack on his back, he looks much like the American Santa Claus. (Barth, Edna. Holly, Reindeer, and Colored Lights, The Story of the Christmas Symbols. New York: Clarion Books, 1971, p. 49)

Thor was probably history’s most celebrated and worshipped pagan god. His widespread influence is particularly obvious in the fifth day of the week, which is named after him – Thursday (a.k.a. Thor’s Day). It is ironic that Thor’s symbol was a hammer. A hammer is also the symbolic tool of the carpenter – Santa Claus. It is also worth mentioning that Thor’s helpers were elves and like Santa’s elves, Thor’s elves were skilled craftsman. It was the elves who created Thor’s magic hammer.

In the Handbook of Christian Feasts and Customs, author Francis Weiser traces the origin of Santa to Thor: "Behind the name Santa Claus actually stands the figure of the pagan Germanic god Thor." (Weiser, Francis X. Handbook of Christian Feasts and Customs. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc., 1952, p. 113) After listing some the common attributes of Thor and Santa, Weiser concludes: Here, [Thor] then, is the true origin of our "Santa Claus." . . . With the Christian saint whose name he still bears, however, this Santa Claus has really nothing to do. (Weiser, Francis X. Handbook of Christian Feasts and Customs. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc., 1952, p. 114) Another interesting trait of Thor is recorded by H.R. Ellis Davidson in Scandinavian Mythology, "It was Thor who in the last days of heathenism was regarded as the chief antagonist of Christ." (Davidson, H.R. Ellis. Scandinavian Mythology. New York: Peter Bedrick Books, 1982, p. 133) In case you are not aware, an "antagonist" is an enemy, adversary or replacement.

The bizarre and mutual attributes of Thor and Santa are no accident. While the pagan brush strokes of Norse mythology has painted some of the traits of Santa Claus, there exists another brush stroke coloring Santa that bids our inspection.

There is a little-known piece in the life of Santa that time and tradition has silently erased. Few people are aware that for most of his life, St. Nicholas (Sinter Klaas, Christkind, et. al.) had an unusual helper or companion. This mysterious sidekick had many names or aliases. He was known as Knecht Rupprecht; Pelznickle; Ru-Klas; Swarthy; Dark One; Dark Helper; Black Peter; Hans Trapp; Krampus; Grampus; Zwarte Piets; Furry Nicholas; Rough Nicholas; Schimmelreiter; Klapperbock; Julebuk; et. al.

Though his name changed, he was always there. Some other well known titles given to St. Nick’s bizarre companion is a demon, evil one, the devil and Satan. One of his dark duties was to punish children and "gleefully drag them to hell." The following references are provided to demonstrate the "devil" who accompanies St. Nicholas is a well documented fact. In every forerunner of Santa this dark and diabolic character appears. It is the Christkind who brings the presents, accompanied by one of its many devilish companions, Knecht Rupprecht, Pelznickle, Ru-Klas. . . (Del Re, Gerard and Patricia. The Christmas Almanack. New York: Random House, 2004, p. 70) In many areas of Germany, Hans Trapp is the demon who accompanies Christkind on its gift-giving round. . . (Del Re, Gerard and Patricia. The Christmas Almanack. New York: Random House, 2004, p. 75) Another Christmas demon from lower Austria, Krampus or Grampus, accompanies St. Nicholas on December 6. (Del Re, Gerard and Patricia. The Christmas Almanack. New York: Random House, 2004, p. 94) Like Santa, Sinterklaas and the Dark Helper were also supposed to have the peculiar habit of entering homes through the chimney. . . (Renterghem, Tony van. When Santa Was a Shaman. St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1995, p. 102) In Sarajevo in Bosnia, Saint Nickolas appears with gifts for the children in spite of the war and shelling. He is assisted by a small black devil who scares the children. (Renterghem, Tony van. When Santa Was a Shaman. St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1995, p. 102) Ruprecht here plays the part of bogeyman, a black, hairy, horned, cannibalistic, stick-carrying nightmare. His role and character are of unmitigated evil, the ultimate horror that could befall children who had been remiss in learning their prayers and doing their lessons. He was hell on earth. (Siefker, Phyllis. Santa Claus, Last of the Wild Men: The Origins and Evolution of Saint Nicholas. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc., 1997, p. 155) In Holland, Sinterklaas (Santa Claus) wore a red robe while riding a white horse and carried a bag of gifts to fill the children's stockings. A sinister assistant called Black Pete proceeded Sinterklaas in the Holland tradition to seek out the naughty boys and girls who would not receive gifts. ("History of Santa Claus," ) The Christian figure of Saint Nicholas replaced or incorporated various pagan gift-giving figures such as the Roman Befana and the Germanic Berchta and Knecht Ruprecht. . . He was depicted wearing a bishop's robes and was said to be accompanied at times by Black Peter, an elf whose job was to whip the naughty children.("Santa Claus" Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 99) Christmas historian Miles Clement relates that no "satisfactory account has yet been given" to the origins of these demons and devils that appear with St. Nicholas. It can hardly be said that any satisfactory account has yet been given of the origins of this personage, or of his relation to St. Nicholas, Pelzmarte, and monstrous creatures like the Klapperbock. (Miles, Clement A. Christmas in Ritual and Tradition Christian and Pagan. New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1912, p. 232) Maybe a satisfactory account has been given. Let us keep reading. Previously, we established the peculiar fact that today’s Santa Claus and St. Nicholas are not the same. They never have been. Santa Claus is dressed in a long shaggy beard, furs, short, burly and obese. The legends of St. Nicholas portrayed a thin, tall, neatly dressed man in religious apparel. You could not possibly find two different characters. If Nicholas, the ascetic bishop of fourth-century Asia Manor, could see Santa Claus, he would not know who he was. (Del Re, Gerard and Patricia. The Christmas Almanack. New York: Random House, 2004, pp. 138,141)

So the legends of Saint Nicholas afford but a slight clew to the origin of Santa Klaus,–alike, indeed, in name but so unlike in all other respects. (Walsh, William S. The Story of Santa Klaus. Detroit: Gale Research Company, 1970, p. 54)

The startling fact is, Santa Claus is not the Bishop St. Nicholas – but his Dark Helper!

In certain German children’s games, the Saint Nicholas figure itself is the Dark Helper, a devil who wants to punish children, but is stopped from doing so by Christ. (Renterghem, Tony van. When Santa Was a Shaman. St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1995, p. 105)

Black Pete, the ‘grandfather’ of our modern Santa Claus. Known in Holland as Zwarte Piet, this eighteenth-century German version, is—like his ancient shamanic ancestor—still horned, fur-clad, scary, and less than kind to children. Although portrayed as the slave helper of Saint Nicholas, the two are, in many villages, blended into one character. This figure often has the name Nikolass or Klaus, but has the swarthy appearance of the Dark Helper. (Renterghem, Tony van. When Santa Was a Shaman. St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1995, p. 98)

Artist Thomas Nast is rightfully credited for conceiving the image of our modern day Santa, but Nast’s model for Santa was not the Bishop St. Nicholas but his dark companion, the evil Pelznickle.

The Christmas demon Knecht Rupprecht first appeared in a play in 1668 and was condemned by the Roman Catholic as being a devil in 1680. . . To the Pennsylvania Dutch, he is known as Belsnickel. Other names for the same character are Pelznickle, "Furry Nicholas," and Ru-Klas, "Rough Nicholas." From these names, it is easy to see that he is looked upon as not merely a companion to St. Nicholas, but almost another version of him. (Del Re, Gerard and Patricia. The Christmas Almanack. New York: Random House, 2004, pp. 93,94)

In Thomas Nast: His Period and His Pictures, biographer Albert Bigelow Paine, documents that Nast’s Santa was Pelznickle.

But on Christmas Eve, to Protestant and Catholic alike, came the German Santa Claus, Pelze-Nicol, leading a child dressed as the Christkind, and distributing toys and cakes, or switches, according as the parents made report. It was this Pelze-Nicol – a fat, fur-clad, bearded old fellow, at whose hands he doubtless received many benefits – that the boy in later years was to present to us as his conception of the true Santa Claus – a pictorial type which shall lone endure. (Paine, Albert Bigelow. Thomas Nast: His Period and His Pictures. New York: Chelsea House, 1980, p. 6)

Santa historian and author, Tony van Renterghem also documents Nast’s Santa Claus was not Saint Nicholas, but the evil Black Pete–the devil.

Thomas Nast was assigned to draw this Santa Claus, but having no idea what he looked like, drew him as the fur-clad, small, troll-like figure he had known in Bavaria when he was a child. This figure was quite unlike the tall Dutch Sinterklaas, who was traditionally depicted as a Catholic bishop. Who he drew was Saint Nicholas’ dark helper, Swarthy, or Black Pete (a slang name for the devil in medieval Dutch). . . (Renterghem, Tony van. When Santa Was a Shaman. St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1995, pp. 95-96)

Santa researcher, Phyllis Siefker, echoes Renterghem’s conclusion:

It seems obvious, therefore, that Santa Claus can be neither the alter ego of Saint Nicholas nor the brainchild of Washington Irving. . . If we peek behind the imposing Saint Nicholas, we see, glowering in the shadows, the saint’s reprobate companion, Black Pete. He, like Santa, has a coat of hair, a disheveled beard, a bag, and ashes on his face. . . In fact, it is this creature, rather than Irving’s creation or an Asian saint, who fathered Santa Claus. (Siefker, Phyllis. Santa Claus, Last of the Wild Men: The Origins and Evolution of Saint Nicholas. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc., 1997, p. 15)

By the way, St. Nicholas did not come down the chimney. It was his fur-clad, dark companion that came down the chimney. One of the reasons his sidekick was called the "Dark One" or "Black Peter" was because he was normally covered in soot and ashes from his chimney travels. The "dark companion" also carried the bag, distributed the goodies and punished the bad boys and girls.

Children [in Holland] are told that Black Peter enters the house through the chimney, which also explained his black face and hands, and would leave a bundle of sticks or a small bag with salt in the shoe instead of candy when the child had been bad. ("Saint Nicholas," Wikipedia Encyclopedia. )

It is significant that Black Peter, Pelze-Nicol, Knecht Rupprecht and all of St. Nicholas companions are openly identified as the devil.

To the medieval Dutch, Black Peter was another name for the devil. Somewhere along the way, he was subdued by St. Nicholas and forced to be his servant. (Del Re, Gerard and Patricia. The Christmas Almanack. New York: Random House, 2004, p. 44)

In Denmark, Sweden, and Norway creatures resembling both the Schimmelreiter and the Klapperbock are or were to be met with at Christmas. . . People seem to have had a bad conscience about these things, for there are stories connecting them with the Devil. A girl, for instance, who danced at midnight with a straw Julebuk, found that her partner was no puppet but the Evil One himself. (Miles, Clement A. Christmas in Ritual and Tradition Christian and Pagan. New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1912, p. 202)

Thus, in parts of Europe, the Church turned Herne into Saint Nicholas’ captive, chained Dark Helper, none other than Satan, the Dark One, symbolic of all evil. (Renterghem, Tony van. When Santa Was a Shaman. St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1995, p. 97)

One of the bizarre jobs of St. Nick’s devilish helper was to "gleefully drag sinners" to hell!

On the eve of December 6, the myth told that this bearded, white-haired old ‘saint,’ clad in a wide mantel, rode through the skies on a white horse, together with his slave, the swarthy Dark Helper. This reluctant helper had to disperse gifts to good people, but much preferred to threaten them with his broom-like scourge, and, at a sign of his master, would gleefully drag sinners away to a place of eternal suffering. (Renterghem, Tony van. When Santa Was a Shaman. St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1995, p. 111)

It is also alarming that Santa’s popular title, "Nick," is also a common name for "the devil."

Old Nick: A well-known British name of the Devil. It seems probable that this name is derived from the Dutch Nikken, the devil..." (Shepard, Leslie A. Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology. New York: Gale Research Inc. 1991, p. 650)

Nick, the devil. (Skeat, Walter W. Concise Dictionary of English Etymology. Ware: Wordsworth Editions Ltd, 1993, p. 304)

Devil: Besides the name Satan, he is also called Beelzebub, Lucifer . . . and in popular or rustic speech by many familiar terms as Old Nick . . . (Oxford English Dictionary)

Nicholas is one of the most common devil’s names in German, a name that remains today when Satan is referred as Old Nick. (Siefker, Phyllis. Santa Claus, Last of the Wild Men: The Origins and Evolution of Saint Nicholas. Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc., 1997, p. 69)

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