Santa Claus existed many years before
While Coca-Cola did not create the legend of Santa Claus completely, it is true that Coca-Cola advertising played a big role in shaping the jolly character we know and love today.
Before Coca‑Cola was invented, Santa Claus (St Nick) had appeared in numerous illustrations and books wearing a scarlet coat. He was portrayed a variety of ways. He could be tall and gaunt or short and elfin, sometimes distinguished and intellectual, other times rather frightening.
Let's start at the beginning
By all accounts, his story begins in the fourth century AD in what is now modern-day Turkey. A man named Nicholas became the bishop of a village called Myra. He was later canonised, and soon became one of the most popular saints in Christianity.
The name Santa Claus evolved from Nick's Dutch nickname, Sinter Klaas, a shortened form of Sint Nikolaas (Dutch for Saint Nicholas). In 1804, John Pintard, a member of the New York Historical Society, distributed woodcuts of St. Nicholas at the society's annual meeting.
He is based on St. Nicholas of Myra, who, according to Christian tradition, was a bishop in that small Roman town during the 4th century. Nicholas's reputation for generosity and kindness gave rise to legends of miracles he performed for the poor and unhappy.
Half (49%) of Americans say they stopped believing in Santa before the age of 10 – with a quarter (23%) reporting that they lost sight of him between the ages of seven (10%) and eight (13%).
Coca‑Cola Helped Shape the Image of Santa
In 1931 the company began placing Coca‑Cola ads in popular magazines. Archie Lee, the D'Arcy Advertising Agency executive working with The Coca‑Cola Company, wanted the campaign to show a wholesome Santa who was both realistic and symbolic.
According to historical records, Saint Nicholas was a monk born in the third century in a village called Patara, now part of modern-day Turkey. He was known for his kindness and good deeds, and he eventually became to be known as the protector of children and sailors.
She was the creation of James Rees in his book 1849 book “Mysteries of City Life,” which explored a variety of traditions. Rees is the first to name Mrs. Claus as well, giving her the moniker Gertrude in his stories, although pop culture has given her the name Jessica.
In truth, "ho ho ho" doesn't mean anything. It's actually just the sound of Santa Claus's laughter. It might sound strange to us to hear someone laughing like this, since most people's laughter sounds more like "ha ha ha" instead of "ho ho ho".
However, it was not until the late part of the 19th century that the character adopted the red suit that was popular for Santa Claus in America, and so for much of the Victorian period, Father Christmas was often green.
These include Saint Nicholas, a 4th Century Greek bishop - who famously wore red robes while giving gifts to the poor, especially children - and the English folk figure "Father Christmas", whose original green robes turned red over time.
No. It's widely believed that today's Santa wears a red suit because that's the colour associated with Coca‑Cola, but this isn't the case. Before the Coca‑Cola Santa was even created, St Nick had appeared in numerous illustrations and written descriptions wearing a scarlet coat.
It subsequently gave rise to the Christmas myth that Coke owns the Santa Claus image. But it's not true! Even though Coca-Cola originated some of the character's defining features, the company is not the author and therefore has no copyright on that character.
Prior to Nast's work, Santa's outfit was tan in color, and it was he that changed it to red, although he also drew Santa in a green suit. This change is often mistakenly attributed to the work of Haddon Sundblom, who drew images of Santa in advertising for the Coca-Cola Company since 1931.
Nicholas was the 4th-century Greek Bishop of Myra (in present-day Turkey). Under the Roman emperor Diocletian, who persecuted Christians, Nicholas spent some five years in prison—and according to some accounts, in solitary confinement.
They state that one of the oldest elves around is 4,000 years old, and he goes by the name of Kringle. The youngest is only 700 and is named Buttercup. As you can see, Santa is always on the lookout for new elves with plenty of holiday spirit.
"There is no such thing as being too old to believe in Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy," Kelman tells Yahoo Life. "Letting kids figure it out on their own is preferable to parents breaking the news to them.
No. Coca‑Cola's ingredients and manufacturing processes are rigorously regulated by government and health authorities in more than 200 countries. All of them have consistently recognised Coca‑Cola as a non-alcoholic product.
The origins of Sinterklaas can be found in the stories of St Nicholas, a 4th-century Greek bishop from Myra, now in modern-day Turkey. St Nicholas was credited with a wide variety of miracles. According to one story, he resurrected three youths after they'd been murdered and pickled in a barrel by an innkeeper.
The first recorded incidence of Christmas being celebrated actually dates all the way back to the Roman Empire in 336 AD, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine. Technically, the Romans invented it – although there's no specific person who is credited with having done so.
Because the Elf on the Shelf “moves” each night, belief can sometimes be suspended into thinking that it is real. And for all intents and purposes, the Elf on the Shelf is real. It's a real doll, after all.
Research shows kids usually stop believing in Santa between 6 and 9 years of age.
Santa is real in the sense that he was an actual person. Otherwise known as Saint Nicholas, his story goes all the way back to the 3rd century. He was a monk who was born in 280 A.D. in modern-day Turkey. As an only child, he was given great affection by his parents.