Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2011/January 2012 | Page 31

FEATURE

LEGAL ISSUES
with Terence Willey & Company

The magic of

Santa Claus!
Historians tell us that the story of
Santa Claus or St. Nicholas goes back
to the beginning of the 4th century.
"Nicholas" Bishop of Myra on the
coast of Lycia was very generous in
helping those in distress, but he did
so secretly:- when the benefactor
was discovered he was canonised and
became St. Nicholas, and afterwards
any unknown gifts were attributed
to his kindness. The familiar look of
Santa Claus or Father Christmas was
created by the Americans, who gave
him his red coat, white hair and a
beard. Now some seventeen centuries
later the joy that Santa Claus brings to
so many people both in sickness and
health remains just as magical.
I will never forget a particular
incident involving a visit by Father
Christmas to my daughter's village
playschool. I had been assisting the
playschool in this role for over ten
years and my daughter was in her
last year before leaving to commence
Primary school education. My wife
expressed a real concern that there was
a possibility that my daughter would

recognise me so I therefore purchased
some additional whiskers leaving very
little of my face visible underneath
the hood of my red coat. I would
change in my office before driving to
the village complete with a sack full of
presents. This, in itself, always created
some amusement from passers by, but
it gave me so much pleasure to see the
happy, smiling and excited faces of the
children. A chair would be placed in
the centre of the room and I would
call out each child's