• Νικολαος (Nicholas, modern ending)
• Νικολαον (Nicholas, person's name, KJV) Acts 6:5
• Νικολαιτων (plural possessive ending, Rev 2:6, 15)

How does Santa Claus fit in? Another name is Saint "Nickolas". The name "Nicholas" was a not uncommon in New Testament times.

The modern and ancient Greek word "εντολή" (ehn-to-LEE) ≈ "order, command" means a command, as in the "οι Δέκα Εντολές" (ee THEH-ka EHn-to-LEHS) ≈ "the Ten Commandments".

The modern Greek word "στολή" (sto-LEE) ≈ "costume" is much the same as used in the GNT, often translated as "robe" or "raiment".

In Rev 22:14 the Greek manuscripts differ.

• "ποιούντες τας εντολάς αυτού" (pee-UN-tehs tas ehn-to-LAS av-TU) ≈ "do his commandments" KJV
• "πλυνόντες τας στολάς αυτών" (plee-NON-tehs tas sto-LAS av-TON) ≈ "wash their robes" NIV (New International Version)

Does the difference matter?

The original Saint Nicholas was a Greek monk called Nikolaos of Myra (4th century AD) in Asia Minor, in what today is part of Turkey.

Nicholas was born in the town of Patera. Paul had visited Patera during his missionary trips.

Nicklaus, like other Christians, suffered persecution under Roman Emperor Diocletian (284-305) and then under his successor Galerius (258-311).

As Galerius was slowing dying from disease, and making no progress with the persecution, he gave up his persecution, issued an edict of toleration, and converted before dying. His last request was that Christians would pray for him.

Nicholas (270-343) became a bishop and was recorded at being at the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. where the Nicene Creed was developed and approved.

Nicholas was very generous with giving gifts, mostly without letting the receiver know from where the gift came. There are many stories and legends about his gift giving.
In Philippians, Paul takes the bishops (leaders) of the church in Philippi to task for not doing what they are supposed to be doing and doing what they are not supposed to be doing. Most bishops at the time did not need such admonition.

More: 1 Timothy 3:1 Desire to reach out to be a bishop

More: Philippians

The German name "Christkind" is the gift-bringer in many German speaking (and some other) areas of Europe. The "Christkind" is depicted as a very young Christ child.

Through Dutch, the American pronunciation of "Chriskindl" became "Chris Kringle" or "Kris Kringle".
The English version is of the "Christkind" is sometimes called "Father Christmas".

There is a Christkindl market in Mifflinburg, PA (on-site was canceled in 2020 due to Covid-19).
As the oldest outdoor Christmas market in the United States, the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market has been bringing the tradition of the German Christmas market to Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania every December for more than 30 years. (as of 2023-12-02)

• https://www.oldchristkindl.com (web site)

• The German word "das Kind" ≈ "child, baby, unborn child" as used in the Luther German.
• The German word "die Kinder" ≈ "the children".
• The German word "der Garten" ≈ "the garden".
• The German word "der Kindergarten" ≈ "the kindergarten".

Thus, an English "kindergarten", often misspelled as "kindergarden", is a "garden of children".

Derived from Chriskindl: Secret Santa is a Western Christmas tradition in which members of a group or community are randomly assigned a person to whom they give a gift. The identity of the gift giver is a secret not to be revealed. (Wikipedia). Wikipedia says that the term "Pollyanna", as in a "Pollyanna swap" is used for "Secret Santa" in southeastern Pennsylvania.

In the Middle Ages, Saint Nicholas was old, thin, and bearded. The red suit appears to have come from Bishop Nicholas as being depicted wearing a red gown, the traditional garb of bishops - at least in Holland.
The Dutch name for Santa Claus was "Sinterklaas" which is the source of the English "Santa Claus".

In Denmark, Santa traveled by sleigh. And there are real reindeer (that do not fly, of course).

The cold and the North Pole (a goal in the last half of the 1800's like getting to the moon was in the 1960's) made it easy to explain why Santa was not seen during the year.

What is the "doctrine" of "Santa Claus" or "Saint Nickolas"?

• Νικολαος (Nicholas, modern ending)
• Νικολαον (Nicholas, person's name, KJV) Acts 6:5
• Νικολαιτων (plural possessive ending, Rev 2:6, 15)

Note: In Revelation, the church of Smyrna is after Ephesus and before Pergamus.

The term "Santa Claus" as in "Saint Nickolas" literally means the "holy victory of the people".

• The modern Greek word "άγιος" (A-y-os) ≈ "saint" as in holy.
• The modern Greek word "νίκη" (NEE-kee) ≈ "victory" as in Nike shoes.
• The modern Greek word "λαός" (la-OS) ≈ "people" as in a lay reader or laity.

Here Jesus hates the "doctrine" or "teachings" of the Nicolaitans. What is the difference between "works" or "deeds" and "doctrine" or "teachings"?

So who are the «νικολαιτων» or "Nicolaitans". No one has come up with a good answer.

Discussion question: Is there a "doctrine" or are there "deeds" of the idea of Santa Claus that might not be in line with the teachings of Jesus?

The KJV translates as "double-minded" the Greek word that means, literally, "two lives" or "two minds".

Some take this as "two willed". The "ways" include have that man appears to others.

James uses the specific word for "man" and not "woman".