A child named Nicholas was born in A.D. 280 in Lycia, Asia Minor, which is present-day Turkey. His wealthy parents raised him to be a devout Christian, and even as a child, Nicholas avoided worldly pursuits, spending time studying the scriptures. His parents died in an epidemic while he was still young. Nicholas used his inheritance to assist the needy and sick. He dedicated his life to serving God. 

One story or legend is told about Nicholas coming to the rescue of a man with three daughters. The bankrupt nobleman hoped to marry off his daughters before the creditors took them away. But the father did not have money for the girls’ dowries. No one would consider marrying his daughters without a dowry. Nicholas tossed a bag of gold for each girl through an open window. The bags are said to have landed in stockings or shoes left by the fire to dry. Nicholas saved the nobleman’s daughters from the ruthless creditors, and our custom of hanging stockings or putting out shoes to wait for a visit from Saint Nicholas began.