Santa as most people know him today grew out of several European traditions, but the core figure traces back to Saint Nicholas, a 4th‑century Christian bishop from Myra in what is now Turkey. Over time, his story merged with northern European folklore, like the Dutch Sinterklaas and the English Father Christmas, eventually evolving into the modern Santa Claus in North America.

Early roots: Saint Nicholas

  • Saint Nicholas of Myra was a Greek Christian bishop famed for secret gift‑giving and generosity to the poor, especially children.
  • He lived in the 3rd–4th century in the city of Myra, in the region of Lycia, corresponding to modern‑day Turkey.
  • His feast day on 6 December became associated with giving small presents to children across many parts of Europe.

European folklore influences

  • In the Netherlands, Saint Nicholas became Sinterklaas , a bishop‑like figure who arrived by boat and delivered gifts in early December.
  • In England, Father Christmas developed as a personification of midwinter cheer, later blending with the gift‑bringing Saint Nicholas figure.
  • Some folklorists also see echoes of the Norse god Odin, a white‑bearded, midwinter gift‑bringer who rode through the winter sky, as an influence on Santa’s image.

Move to America and “Santa Claus”

  • Dutch settlers brought Sinterklaas traditions to New Amsterdam (now New York) in the 17th century.
  • The name “Santa Claus” grew from the Dutch “Sinterklaas” and appears in American print by the late 18th century.
  • In the 19th century, poems and illustrations in the United States—especially “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (“’Twas the Night Before Christmas”)—standardized Santa as a jolly, sleigh‑riding, reindeer‑driving gift‑giver.

The modern North Pole Santa

  • The now‑familiar image of Santa as a plump man in a red suit with a white beard solidified between the late 19th and early 20th centuries through popular literature, magazine art, and advertising.
  • The idea of Santa living at the North Pole helped make him a universal, non‑national figure, disconnected from any one country even though his historical origin is in the eastern Mediterranean and European folklore.

TL;DR: Santa “originated” from Saint Nicholas of Myra in modern‑day Turkey, then picked up elements from Dutch Sinterklaas, English Father Christmas, and northern European myths before becoming the red‑suited Santa Claus popularized in the United States.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.