Santa Claus
Nicholas (A.D. 280-343) was born to a wealthy couple in present-day Turkey. When he inherited wealth from his parents after they died, Nicholas gave it generously to the poor. In one case Nicholas heard of a merchant going bankrupt and, to secure the merchant's daughters future, Nicholas threw money through the merchant's windows at night. Nicholas then made the father promise to not tell who gave the money, and this started a tradition of secret giving on the anniversary of Nicholas's death in A.D. December 6, 343.
Later Nicholas became the Bishop of Myra. But Emperor Diocletian imprisoned Nicholas during the persecution of Christians. Subsequently Constantine freed Nicholas, who later helped write the Nicene Creed during the Council of Nicaea.
Muslims invaders conquered the region in the A.D. 1000s, killing Christians and converting churches into mosques. Christians transferred the bones of Nicholas to Italy, and the tradition of Saint Nicholas (now Santa Claus) became popular in the West.