It's Christmas in Turkey... All Year 'Round!

I loved this article about Saint Nicholas completing his centuries-old transition to Santa Claus. Sadly, the Post has neglected to publish on line Karl Vick's funny pictures* of Demre's hometown hero's fantastic transformation from dour, bible-toting monk to jolly, red-suited butterball (the pics are on the front page of the dead-tree edition). Presumably, the back of the klassy plaster-of-Paris Santa is emblazoned with a Coca-Cola logo and a crescent moon.

In Vick's photo of the town's mayor, below, you can just barely make out the jolly ol' elf in the center of the offical city logo:



EDIT: I guess I should point out that the above picture is not Photoshopped, nor are the news photos in the next post.