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- ABC News - Who was the real Santa Claus? We sort the facts from the fiction
- St. Nicholas Center - Who is St. Nicholas?
- English Heritage - The History of Father Christmas
- National Geographic - The History of How St. Nicholas Became Santa Claus
- History Today - How Father Christmas Found his Reindeer
- The Spruce Eats - The Story of Sinterklaas
Santa Claus
What does Santa Claus look like?
Today’s most common depiction of Santa Claus is of a portly white-bearded gentleman dressed in a red suit with a black belt and white fur trim, black boots, and a soft red cap with white fur trim. This image was developed by illustrator Haddon Sundblum for theCoca-Cola Company’s Santa Claus advertisements from 1931, though it has roots in 19th-century illustrations byThomas Nast.
Where does Santa Claus live?
Santa Claus is said to live at theNorth Pole with his wife, where he spends the year making toys with the help of hiselves. There he receives letters from children asking for Christmas gifts.
Where did Santa Claus come from?
The Dutch are credited with transporting the legend ofSt. Nicholas (Sinterklaas) to New Amsterdam (now New York City), along with the custom of giving gifts and sweets to children on hisfeast day, December 6.
When does Santa Claus arrive?
It is said that on Christmas Eve Santa Claus loads his sleigh with toys and flies around the world, drawn by ninereindeer. Stopping at each child’s house, he slides down the chimney and leaves gifts, refreshing himself with milk and cookies left for him by the household’s children.
Is it possible to meet Santa Claus?
While it is tough to catch Santa Claus on Christmas Eve when he is said to come down the chimney, it is possible to spot Santa in shopping malls and other places in the United States and elsewhere around Christmastime. It has become a popular tradition in many families for children to pose for photos with Santa and tell him what presents they would like.
Santa Claus, legendary figure who is the traditionalpatron ofChristmas in theUnited States and other countries, bringing gifts to children. His popular image is based on traditions associated withSaint Nicholas, a 4th-century Christiansaint who is typically depicted in redbishop’s robes. The Dutch are credited with transporting thelegend of Saint Nicholas (Sinterklaas) toNew Amsterdam (now New York City), along with the custom of giving gifts and sweets to children on his feast day, December 6 (see alsoSt. Nicholas Day). Father Christmas fills the role in many European countries.
The current depiction of Santa Claus is based on images drawn by cartoonistThomas Nast forHarper’s Weekly beginning in 1863. Nast’s Santa owed much to the description given in the poem“A Visit from St. Nicholas” (also known as “’Twas the Night Before Christmas”), first published in 1823. The image was further defined by the popular Santa Claus advertisements created for theCoca-Cola Company from 1931 by illustratorHaddon Sundblum. Sundblum’s Santa was a portly white-bearded gentleman dressed in a red suit with a black belt and white fur trim, black boots, and a soft red cap.
Santa Claus is said to live at theNorth Pole with his wife (Mrs. Claus), where he spends the year making toys with the help of hiselves. There he receives letters from children asking for Christmas gifts. On Christmas Eve he loads his sleigh with toys and flies around the world, drawn by eight or ninereindeer, stopping at each child’s house; he slides down the chimney and leaves the gifts, refreshing himself with the milk and cookies left for him by the household’s children.
