The AP probably thinks that “Saint Nicholas” is a corruption of “Sinterklaas,” the Dutch term for “Santa Claus,” instead of “Santa Claus” being a corruption of “Sinterklaas,” which itself is a corruption of “Sint Nikolaas,” the Dutch term for “Saint Nicholas.”
It’s like when secular humanists try to strip all remnants of Christianity away from St. Patrick’s Day, but leave in the shamrock.