If you have not seen Peter Enn’s post “St. Nicholas: what can I say, he was a beast” you ought to read it. It will give you a greater appreciation for the good bishop, even if it is difficult to separate fact from fiction when it comes to his life. Even the mythology surrounding “St. Nick” is far better than the popular character known and adored by children today.

Does it concern anyone else that Bishop Nicholas was known for giving things to the poor and needy, but Santa Claus (i.e., the parents of children who can afford to purchase gifts) gives things to kids who were “good” and who happened to be from homes where there is a fairly decent income?

A couple years ago I asked aloud whether it is ethical for Christian parents to tell their children about the mythological Santa Claus. If you want to read that post it is available here: “Christmas Conundrums!“

Last year in a post titled, “St. Nicholas of Myra, the man who slapped Arius” I shared some links with “fun facts” that you may enjoy. The picture at the top of this post is an allusion to the story of Nicholas being tired of hearing Arius wax eloquent about his heretical views, so he slapped Arius’ face. I’ve heard of some intense debates at AAR/SBL, but that’s special.

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Here are a couple more funny pictures I’ve seen today (most of them on Catholic Memes):

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