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The chrisian saint, Bishop Nicholas, turned into the american symbol for christmas - Santa Clause. It was the first Europeans that arrived in America that brought over this basically commercial activity.
During the 16th century Protestant Reformation, St. Nicholas had a hard time. It was only in England where the religious folk traditions of Christmas were forever altered. The common folks simply adored St. Nick. He actually survived on the European continent as many people still put apples, sweet and nutes in shoes on the sides of bed, windowsill or before the fireplaces.

It was after the American Revolution that John Pintard who was an influential patriot and antiquarian, founded the New York Historical Society in 1804. It was there that St. Nicholas was promoted as patron saint of both city and society.

Washington Irving, in 1809, joined the society and on St. Nicholas Day and that year he published the satirical fiction, Knickerbocker's History of New York. It was there that there was numerous references to a jolly St. Nicholas character. It was not a saintly bishop but instead an elfin Dutch burgher with a clay pipe!

This was the origin of the New Amsterdam St. Nicholas legends: 1. the first Dutch emigrant ship had a figurehead of St. Nicholas; 2. St. Nicholas Day was observed in the colony; 3. the first church was dedicated to him; 4. St. Nicholas comes down chimneys to bring gifts.

Irving's work was noted as the "first notable work of imagination in the New World." The New York Historical Society had the first annual St. Nicholas anniversary dinner on December 6, 1810. And John Pintard commissioned artist Alexander Anderson to to make the first American image of Nicholas for that very occasion.

St. Nick was protrayed as a gift-giving person that gives children treats in stockings hanging by the fireplace. This image became a hit in 1823, from the poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas," which we know as "The Night Before Christmas."