Mike Hanks, Age 12, Of Burnsvi11e, N.C., for his question:

How did Santa Claus get connected with Christmas?

Some of the Christmas customs date back to long before the Christian era. In northern Europe, the mid winter solstice was a season of feasts decked with evergreens and winter berries. The Christmas tree dates back to these early times. The giving of presents to children was added to the festivities much later. Some say that this has been customary only in the past few hundred years.

We do not know the original Santa Claus. Most experts agree that he was saint Nicholas, a Bishop of Europe who was not much older than a boy himself. The generous young man loved to give presents, and some say that he started the custom of the Santa Claus who fills our Christmas stockings.