Who Was the Real St. Nick?

Kids can spot Santa Claus in the twinkling of an eye. The white beard, crimson suit, ample lap, and cookie crumbs tend to give him away. But who knows the real St. Nick, a spry guy with olive skin who lived in what's now Turkey and whose ample compassion inspired century after century of legend?

The legends about St. Nicholas are abundant, but the facts are few. Historians agree that he was born around the year 280 in Asia Minor. During his youth, Nicholas's homeland was under the control of Diocletian, the Roman emperor. Anti-Christian edicts made it a dangerous time for a Christian like Nicholas, and many believers were martyred.

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