THE ORIGIN OF SANTA CLAUS
Santa Claus wasn’t always a husky, omniscient gift-giver who circumnavigates the world once a year, propelled by flying caribou and backed by an army of friendly elves. Though the historical St. Nicholas had many of the same generous tendencies as our contemporary “King in the North,” he lacked a high-tech sleigh that could exceed the speed of light. To be exact, St. Nicholas was a renowned Bishop of Myra — an old Roman town near modern-day Demre, Turkey — way back around A.D. 300. Even before he became the bishop, St. Nicholas was known for his generosity. The most famous tale of his charity involved a poor man who could not afford a proper dowry to marry off his three daughters. In those days, this generally meant the daughters would remain unmarried, making it likely that they’d fall into prostitution. Wanting to help, but also wanting to spare the family embarrassment, St. Nicholas traveled to the house at night and threw three purses packed with gold coins through the window. After his death, St. Nicholas became a beloved patron saint, but during the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, the respect that many Catholic saints received diminished, and his popularity dwindled across Europe.
One area where he remained popular was the Netherlands. There, he lived on as “Sinterklaas,” a mythical figure who went house to house on the eve of St. Nicholas’s nameday, December 5, leaving treats and gifts for children. Sinterklaas traditionally wore red bishop’s clothes and employed elves, and he traveled with horses that could walk across rooftops. When the Dutch emigrated in droves to America during the 17th and 18th
centuries, they brought this kindly icon to the new colonies. Over time, notably through Clement Moore’s 1822 poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas” and a famous 1930s depiction by Coca-Cola ad illustrator Haddon Sundblom, Santa evolved into the figure we see today. THAI SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH PEANUT SAUCE SMILE-FRIENDLY RECIPES
SUDOKU
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Ingredients
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Peanut sauce • 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk • ¾ cup unsweetened peanut butter • ¼ cup coconut sugar • 2 tablespoons soy sauce • 2 tablespoons white vinegar • 2 teaspoons sesame oil • 2 teaspoons red curry paste
• 1 medium spaghetti squash • Olive oil • Salt • 1 garlic clove, minced • ¼ cup chopped parsley • 2 tablespoons crushed peanuts
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Instructions
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1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Halve squash and scoop out seeds. 2. Drizzle inside of squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place squash on baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes. 3. Let cool. Using a fork, scrape out spaghetti squash strands. 4. Place sauce ingredients in saucepan and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. 5. Heat skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, parsley, and 1 of the peanut sauce and combine. 6. Add spaghetti squash and crushed peanuts. Stir to combine until heated through, about 2 minutes. Once served, drizzle with more peanut sauce. (Recipe inspired by Leelalicious.com.)
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