Did you know that yesterday was Santa's official birthday? One of our groups of librarians, the Association for Library Services to Children (ALSC) have put together some very cool web links with information on one of the most famous people in the world. Take a look through some of them!
The Saint Nicholas Center, http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=23,
is certainly the Virgin Mother-in-Law of all Nicholas sites, with excellent historical, cultural, and artistic resources, including a kids section. A must for any internet stocking.
http://www.livius.org/ne-nn/nicholas/nicholas_of_myra1.html
The second-best site in the English speaking realm for information on the origin and evolution of "Saint Nicholas, Sinterklaas, Santa Claus" in the historical record and popular imagination.
The American Antiquarian Society has a fantastic online exhibit of the transformation and history of St. Nick, and Christmas in general, in the United States, with images of many rare and famous book covers and artwork.
http://www.americanantiquarian.org/Exhibitions/Christmas/index.htm
Did you know that Rev. Clement Moore LIED about the authorship of "The Night Before Christmas?" One Henry Livingston was the actual author, and you can read excerpts from the Don Foster book which proved this, here:
http://www.iment.com/maida/familytree/henry/sources/authorunknown.htm
The site also has a page of evidence for this literary hoax the Clement foisted upon a zillion editions of that poem. It has news articles from when this fraud was uncovered, as well as poetry by Livingston and Moore for students to decide for themselves.
See: http://www.iment.com/maida/familytree/henry/writinghenryjr.htm
It turns out that Livingston was the first person in the 13 Colonies to use the politically-incorrect phrase "Happy Christmas,"in a letter to his future wife in 1773:
http://www.iment.com/maida/familytree/henry/writing/letters/tosally73.htm
Another urban myth refuted: The modern image of Santa Claus - a jolly figure in a red-and-white suit - was created by Coca-Cola?
http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/santa.asp
Speaking of "The Real Thing," this site got permission from Coke to post many of the Santa advertisements which have appeared in the last 75 years.
http://www.hillmanweb.com/xmas/xmascoke.html
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