St. Nicholas vs. Santa Claus: What Canadian Families Celebrate
St. Nicholas vs. Santa Claus: what is the difference? St. Nicholas was a real bishop who lived in the 4th century in what is now Turkey, and his feast day is December 6. Santa Claus is the legend that grew out of him, and he arrives on Christmas Eve. In Canada the two meet in a special way, because Dutch, German and Ukrainian families still keep St. Nicholas Day alongside Santa, and Quebec says Père Noël.12
So "St. Nick" really is Santa's ancestor, and the names still get mixed up for good reason. Here is how the bishop became the man in the red suit, how Canadian communities keep both traditions, and how to explain it to your kids.
St. Nicholas and Santa in numbers
St. Nicholas vs. Santa Claus at a glance
| St. Nicholas | Santa Claus / Père Noël | |
|---|---|---|
| Who he is | A real bishop of Myra, a saint of the church | A legendary figure that grew out of the saint |
| Lived | 4th century, in what is now Turkey | Took shape in North American print, 1800s |
| Big day | December 6 (December 19 in some Ukrainian parishes) | Night of December 24 (Christmas Eve) |
| Looks | Bishop's robes, tall miter, staff | Red suit, white beard, round belly |
| Gets around | On foot or on horseback (as Sinterklaas) | Sleigh pulled by flying reindeer |
| Where gifts go | Shoes or a gift left out the night before | Stockings and under the tree |
| Writes to him | No postal code needed | Santa Claus, North Pole, H0H 0H0 |
Who was St. Nicholas?
Nicholas became bishop of Myra, in what is today southern Turkey. Tradition dates his death to December 6, 343, and he is the patron saint of sailors and children, among many others.1
His most famous story explains a lot about Santa. A poor father could not pay a dowry for his three daughters, so Nicholas secretly tossed gold through their window at night. Secret gifts at night: that is the seed of every Christmas Eve since.1
How St. Nicholas became Santa Claus
The name "Santa Claus" comes from Sinterklaas, the Dutch form of Saint Nicholas.6 In the Netherlands he is still a separate figure: he arrives by steamboat from Spain in mid-November, wears a red bishop's miter and brings presents on the evening of December 5.7 The jolly man with the sleigh and reindeer was shaped later in the 1800s, mostly in American books and drawings, and then travelled north to Canada with everything else on the Christmas card.2 His red suit is older than any ad campaign; see Did Coca-Cola invent Santa? If your kids want to meet the reindeer, here are Santa's reindeer names.
St. Nicholas Day in Canada
Canada is a country of newcomers, and many brought their own St. Nicholas with them. Most Canadian families celebrate only Santa, but in some homes, churches and community halls December 5 and 6 are a small festival of their own.
| Community | Name | Typical day |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch Canadian | Sinterklaas | Evening of December 5, or the closest weekend |
| German Canadian | Nikolaus | December 6 |
| Ukrainian Canadian | Sviatyi Mykolai | December 19 in parishes on the old calendar, December 6 on the new |
| Quebec | Saint Nicolas (old custom), Père Noël today | Père Noël at Christmas |
Dutch Canadians and Sinterklaas
Dutch Canadian families often put out shoes on the evening of December 5 and find small presents in the morning. There is also a special Canadian link: in December 1945, Sinterklaas arrived in Amsterdam under the supervision of the Canadian military, after Canadian troops had helped liberate the Netherlands that spring.4 It is one reason Sinterklaas still feels familiar to many Dutch Canadians. Note that some Sinterklaas customs, such as the helper Zwarte Piet, are debated today, so many communities now adapt how they celebrate.
Ukrainian Canadians and the Dec 19 tradition
In Ukrainian Canadian communities, St. Nicholas Day has long been a children's holiday. Parishes, Ukrainian schools and youth groups hold concerts on the feast or the nearest Sunday, and a bishop in Byzantine vestments arrives to hand out gifts, continuing the tradition of secret giving, especially to children in need.3 The date depends on the church calendar: December 19 on the old Julian calendar, December 6 on the new one. St. Volodymyr Cathedral in Toronto, for example, moved to the revised Julian calendar in December 2023, so ask your parish which day it keeps.8
Quebec: Père Noël, and a fading Saint Nicolas
In Quebec, Saint Nicolas was briefly a rival to the Infant Jesus as the bearer of New Year's gifts but never became very popular. A study in the folklore journal Rabaska reports that Père Noël replaced him in the second half of the 20th century.9 Today, Quebec kids write to Père Noël just as other Canadian kids write to Santa. For other names around the world, see Santa Claus in other languages.
Santa has a postal code, the saint does not
One difference kids notice quickly: Santa has a Canadian postal code, H0H 0H0. The Canada Post letter program has run for more than 40 years and has delivered up to 1.5 million letters in a year.5 Here is how to address your letter: Santa Claus address.
How to celebrate both at home
You do not need Dutch, German or Ukrainian roots to borrow the custom. On the evening of December 5, let your kids put a clean boot by the door. In the morning: chocolate coins, a clementine and a little note. It makes a sweet start to the season, and it lets Santa arrive on December 24 as the big finale.
How to explain the difference to your kids
Young kids are happy with a simple answer: St. Nicholas was a kind man who lived long ago and secretly gave gifts to people in need. Santa Claus carries on his idea at Christmas. Older kids often enjoy the history, and the real saint can be a gentle bridge when they start asking bigger questions. Our article Is Santa real? has ideas for that talk.
Cite this article
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<a href="https://santavideo.ca/blog/st-nicholas-vs-santa-claus/">St. Nicholas vs. Santa Claus in Canada</a>
St. Nicholas and Santa Claus in Canada: frequently asked questions
Is St. Nicholas the same as Santa Claus?
Not exactly. St. Nicholas was a real bishop in the 4th century, while Santa Claus is a legendary figure that grew out of him in North America. Santa is sometimes still called "St. Nick," which keeps the two names tangled together.
When is St. Nicholas Day in Canada?
December 6 for most churches and families. Some Ukrainian Canadian parishes that followed the old Julian calendar marked it on December 19, and several have since moved to the revised calendar, so check with your own parish. Dutch Canadian families often celebrate on the evening of December 5.
Do Canadians celebrate St. Nicholas Day?
Mostly families with Dutch, German or Ukrainian roots do. For the rest of the country, Christmas Eve and Santa are the main event.
What do Quebecers call Santa Claus?
Père Noël, literally "Father Christmas." Saint Nicolas was once a rival gift bringer in Quebec, but he never became very popular and Père Noël took over in the second half of the 20th century.
Where does the name Santa Claus come from?
From Sinterklaas, the Dutch name for St. Nicholas. Over time the name turned into "Santa Claus" in North America.
Did Canada have a role in the Sinterklaas story?
Yes. In December 1945, after the liberation of the Netherlands, Sinterklaas arrived in Amsterdam under the supervision of the Canadian military, a moment Dutch families have remembered with gratitude.
Can I write to St. Nicholas like I write to Santa?
Santa has the famous address, Santa Claus, North Pole, H0H 0H0, and Canada Post helps him answer. St. Nicholas has no such service, but kids can leave him a drawing in their shoe on December 5.
Sources
- 1Wikipedia: Saint Nicholas (wikipedia.org)
- 2St. Nicholas Center: Origin of Santa Claus (stnicholascenter.org)
- 3Ukrainian Vancouver: St. Nicholas Traditions Live on in the Ukrainian Canadian Community (ukrainianvancouver.com)
- 4St. Nicholas Center: Sinterklaas in Amsterdam, World War II (stnicholascenter.org)
- 5CP24: Canada Post removes deadline for Santa letter program amid strike (2024) (cp24.com)
- 6VOA Learning English: Words and their stories, Santa Claus (voanews.com)
- 7Wikipedia: Sinterklaas (wikipedia.org)
- 8St. Volodymyr Cathedral, Toronto: Our Parish Has Changed to the Revised Julian Calendar (2023) (stvolodymyr.ca)
- 9Rabaska (2020): Le travesti de saint Nicolas, une tradition familiale (erudit.org)