Santa Claus in French, From Turkey?

December 25, 2006 by Anil P.
Filed under Travel

In French, Santa Claus, “Le Pere Noel“. Pronounced (le pear – noel). That’s a pretty easy one and a nice way to sneak in an extra (non-dirty French word of the week

Now here’s for the Turkish part.

Santa Claus is a variation of a Dutch folk tale based on the historical figure Saint Nicholas, a bishop from Myra in Asia Minor (the greater part of modern-day Turkey), who used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. His charity became legend when a man lost his fortune and found himself incapable of supporting his three daughters, who would not be able to find husbands as they lacked dowries. This man was going to give them over to a life of prostitution; however, St Nicholas provided them with gold, enabling them to retain their virginal virtues and marry.

This is probably one of the most remote connections to modern day Turkey that could possibly be made. Ask any Turkish person though and Santa was smoking shisha, playing? backgammon, and eating kebabs