Exchanging presents at Christmas is a tradition that dates back to the 4th century. Bishop Nicholas of Myra was born into a wealthy merchant family in the village of Patera in the south of Turkey.
He was known for his many kind and generous deeds, including throwing gold into the houses of the needy and giving presents to children to brighten their spirits. He believed that families should have enough to eat and a place to live, that children should have a chance to get ahead in life, and that old people should be able to live out their lives with dignity and respect.
He was concerned for the sailors living on the sea who were so important to the people for the provision of food and other goods. He was titled Saint Nicholas and became the patron saint of children and seafarers.
In 1822, Clement Clarke Moore wrote a poem for his six children called A Visit From St. Nicholas, more popularly known as Twas the Night Before Christmas. In 1862 Thomas Nast, an illustrator of political cartoons, sketched the first drawings of St Nicholas, with a flowing beard, fur suit and rotund shape to feature in Harper’s Weekly Magazine. The poem and illustration helped to create the modern image of Santa Claus and popularise the tradition of exchanging presents.
For me, giving presents to my friends and family is one of my favourite parts of Christmas. So, in the spirit of St Nicholas, and as our present to you, we have doubled the number of prizes in this issue of BIG and have included 30 contests scattered throughout the magazine. You’ll find more information about this title here.
Happy Christmas and happy puzzling!
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