Is Santa Claus real?  Why is he such a big deal?  The truth is that Santa is based on a historial man, a man called Nicolas who lived in the 4th century, in what is now Turkey.  He was called Saint Nicolas because he was a very kind and devout Christian, who was known for one act of kindness in particular - giving gifts anonymously to a poor family.  

'The True Saint Nicolas' (commissioned in 2016 by St Nicolas Church Pevensey to mark its 800th anniversary) is a 20 minute cantata for mixed voices (SATB) and Children's Choir.  The concept of the cantata is a children's quest to discover the true identity of Santa Claus. The adults lead them through a series of tales about miraculous events attributed to Saint Nicolas – some of which seem less likely to be true than others!  Ultimately, the children recognize a link between the generosity of Santa Claus and the character of the true Saint Nicolas.

Author: Martin Neill, Ruth Kenward

Age guide: 7 to 12

Running time: 20 mins. 

No. of songs: 5