The Name’s the Same

Frankenstein's monster. In fourth century Greece, for example, there was a Christian bishop named Saint Nicholas, who often gave gifts to the poor. After his death, people in the Middle Ages would give presents to children during December as a way to honor him. Over time, other cultures started to develop their own similar figures. England had Father Christmas, the Dutch had Center Claus, and the Germans had Wodin, a

bearded figure most commonly known as the God Odin. But in America, as well as many other places around the world, we have Santa Claus. His fluffy white beard and big red suit are iconic, but many people don't know that at one time, Santa Claus really existed and he came from Missouri. It was April fourth of eighteen eighty eight, and William and Henrietta Clause of Sailine County, Missouri, were a static. They'd just given birth to a bouncing baby boy.

But when it came time to fill out his birth certificate, they could only think of one name that would fit their surname, Santa. That's right, Santa Claus had just entered the world. Now. Of course, someone named after a figure of joy and goodwill should have inspired the same in people he met growing up, but kids can often be cruel. Clause was picked on a lot as a child because of his name, no doubt, earning his tormentors a spot

on the Naughty List. But he didn't grow up to run a workshop full of elves or steer a sleigh driven by eight magical reindeer. Clause grew up to be a family man and a ditch digger. You see, life got expensive with seven kids and a wife at home, so he worked several jobs to get by. Among them, he worked part time as a minister as well as a laborer along the Missouri River, but in nineteen twenty nine, everything changed. One day, he'd been working on the river

when he suffered an accident and broke his leg. He was rushed to the hospital, where his name caused quite a stir because honestly, it isn't every day that Santa Claus ends up in the er. Right. Newspapers got wind of the story and published articles about Clause, who was in dire need of a pick me up. After all, the sole breadwinner for his large family was now out of work. And so the children who heard about the accident did what they did best when it came to

Santa Claus. They wrote him letters. Soon, thousands of letters from all over started to pour in. The recuperating Clause finally embraced his identity and started answering the letters. And it became more than a hobby too, This was a calling. He grew out his beard and worked for months writing back to every single child. That meant responding to at least six thousand letters each year. And remember, Santa Claus was poor. He didn't have much money to spend on

things like paper and postage. For those items, he relied on donations from his town's Chamber of Commerce. Everyday Americans looking to help, and even movie star May West. She sent him two hundred and fifty dollars to spend on stamps. But not everything was rosy cheeked for dear old mister Clause. While his name may have encouraged young children to believe in Christmas magic, it also caused him problems in his daily life. Banks often turned him away because they didn't

believe that his identity was real. Some people thought that he was mentally ill, and even the post Office wouldn't deliver the occasional package to him because they didn't believe Santa Claus really existed. But he did did, and he continued to answer letters from children for the next thirty years using his real name. After his wife died in nineteen forty four, he remarried four years later, and the new Missus Claus filled her role perfectly. She assisted Santo

with his letters as he slowly became ill. On April first of nineteen fifty seven, Clause passed away, three days shy of his sixty ninth birthday. The world may have lost Santa Claus the Man, but thanks to his dedication to thousands of children who wrote to him, the spirit of Christmas that he embodied still lives on today. Many

jobs can seem thankless. The restaurant cook making your food, or the mechanic fixing your car are all people that we interact with all the time, but we rarely show gratitude for the services they provide, and the same goes for teachers, farmers, and even stay at home spouses. But perhaps one of the most unfairly thankless jobs in any

industry is that of the lighthouse keeper. Lighthouses signal to ships using bright lights and loud horns that there are shallows in rocky shores nearby, and they don't just warn captains of dangers ahead either. They also help ships navigate in and out of harbors safely. But they wouldn't be able to do any of that without help from the people responsible for their care and maintenance, the lighthouse keepers. A lighthouse keeper does more than just light the lamp.

They have to fill the lamp with kerosene each day, trim the wicks to prevent smoking, clean the lens and windows so the light shines brightly, perform basic repairs, and even act as tour guides for visitors. A lighthouse keeper's job is so important. It goes on twenty four to seven, with no sick time and no days off, and because they have to live in the lighthouses at all times, it can get pretty lonely, especially around Christmas. Edward Snow

so as Well. Born in nineteen oh two, Snow grew up in Winthrop, Massachusetts, near the shores of Boston Harbor. He came from a nautical family. His grandfather was a sea captain for much of his life, and his mother accompanied him on many voyages. Even Snow got in on the act. After graduating high school. He spent nine years on various ships and oil tankers, learning all that he could about life on the high seas. He wrote forty books about his travels, one of which became a common

sight in many East Coast homes. It was titled The Lighthouses of New England. But after seeing the world for all that time, Snow decided to settle down. He enrolled at Harvard at the age of twenty seven and accelerated through his courses, graduating after only three years. One month after earning his diploma, he married Anna Merle Hague, a woman that he met during a trip to Montana. Together they moved back to Massachusetts and built a life there.

Snow took up teaching at Winthrop High School, and it was there that he met a young man named Bill Winkop. Bill was a student whose father did something nice for the lighthouse keepers and their families every Christmas. He flew overhead and dropped presents from above. He was dubbed the Flying Santa. Snow was only too happy to help, especially as Bill's father included more lighthouses each year. Even Bill himself had to pitch in. He was the youngest licensed

pilots in the state at only sixteen years old. So mister Winkepaw would fly his plane north while Edward and Bill Junior would fly along the southern New England coast dropping presents down to lighthouse keepers below. After several years, however, the Winkapaus could no longer perform their yearly task. Who would step up and become Flying Santa Now? Why Edward Snow.

Of course, Snow couldn't fly his own plane, though, so he and his family would charter a plane loaded up with dolls and toys and copies of his books, and do the whole route themselves. He even put on a red Santa suit and fake beard for those occasions. After his daughter was born, she he went with them. Every flight was an experience she described as bumpy, rough and scary. Snow didn't take any money or donations to finance these trips.

Everything was paid for out of his own pocket, and when the plane had to refuel he would come out and meet with the lighthouse keepers and their families. It was in their smiles and gratitude that he saw how important his yearly pilgrimage was to them, especially to the children. Snow died in nineteen eighty two and only missed a single Christmas flight in the forty five years that he delivered presents. His one off year was nineteen forty two, wild World War two was happening, so you know, a

very valid excuse. Today, his legacy lives on thanks to the friends of Flying Santa, who fly helicopters to lighthouses all over New England. They continue the tradition started by the Winkipause and Edward Snow, delivering joy and Christmas cheer to the men and women who keep the harbors lit all year round. I hope you've enjoyed today's guided tour of the Cabinet of Curiosities. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, or learn more about the show by visiting Curiosities podcast

dot com. The show was created by me Aaron Mankey in partnership with how Stuff Works. I make another award winning show called Lore, which is a podcast, book series, and television show, and you can learn all about it over at the Worldoflore dot com. And until next time, stay curious.