1. St. Nicholas became popular in America due to the influence of the Dutch with their beloved Christ-Kindlein. 2. Nicholas is associated with Myra and Bari, which are actually the Greek and Latin terms for the same place.
3. Putting treats in stockings is based on one version of Nicholas' giving gold for the dowery of the three daughters of an impoverished nobleman.
4. Nicholas is shown in red because he died a martyr.
5. Nicholas bestowed his gifts from the treasury of his diocese after becoming Bishop, delivering them at night in the spirit of humility.
6. The 'manna' of St. Nicholas is an oily substance with often miraculous qualities that flows from the saint's relics.
7. Nicholas is the patron of seamen because he first appeared to sailors after his death who called on him for help.
8. Nicholas saved three innocent men on Myra, and then, the princes who helped him save those men, by appearing to the emperor in a vision.
9. The Feast Day of St. Nicholas is December 26, the day after Christmas.
10. Before his death, Nicholas helped the material prosperity of two Jews in a supernatural way, leading to their conversion. 11. Two other miracles of St. Nicholas involve young men appearing in chapels dedicated to the saint: one from a drowning at sea and another from captivity. 12. Clement Moore's 1822 poem 'A Visit from St. Nicholas' emphasized the saints' noted love of animals by creating reindeer to pull his sleigh. 13. All European countries have their version of a St. Nicholas-type figure who brings gifts at Christmas. 14. Nicholas is the patron saint of Russia, Greece and Holland. 15. Nicholas was an untiring opponent of paganism and heresy, keeping his diocese free of Arianism and providing a strong voice a the Council of Nicea. .