The history of Santa Claus
Santa Claus existed many years before Coca-Cola started to use him for its Christmas advertising campaign. Historians agree that this character was inspired by Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra of the 4th Century, who was famous for leaving coins in the shoes and stockings of poor children.
Much earlier, the American cartoonist Thomas Nast fashioned Santa Claus's image on the pages of the American magazine Harper's Weekly. The character of Santa Claus is believed to descend from Bishop Nicholas of Myra, who lived in the 4th century.
Does Santa Claus traditionally wear red because it's the colour of Coca‑Cola? No. 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.
The friendly, warm and grandfather-like image we see of Santa today first appeared in 1931 when Coca-Cola commissioned illustrator Haddon Sundblom to paint Santa Clause for the company's Christmas adverts.
Copyright subsists upon the moment's of a works creation and lasts the author's life, plus seventy years (in most places). Santa Claus, as well as his friends Rudolph, the Easter Bunny and the Bogey Man, alone is not copyrighted – but the paintings of Haddon Sundblom are.
Thomas Nast's iconic 1881 image of Santa Claus
Prior to Nast's drawings, Saint Nicolas and later Santa Claus, had been drawn as a tall, thin man. Beginning in the 1860s, at the height of the Civil War, Nast began drawing a series of Christmas cartoons for Harper's Weekly.
In fact, when Civil War cartoonist Thomas Nast drew Santa Claus for Harper's Weekly in 1862, Santa was a small elflike figure who supported the Union. Nast continued to draw Santa for 30 years, changing the color of his coat from tan to the red he's known for today.
The Coke Santa is a classic. But as of 2005 he is no more on Coca-Cola packaging. That means Santa has been evicted from cans, glass bottles and two liter plastic bottles. And he's been replaced by polar bears.
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.
The character of Santa Claus originated from a 3rd-century monk called Saint Nicholas. Saint Nicholas lived in modern-day Turkey and became well-known for his kindness and generosity – it is believed that he gave away all his inheritance to the poor and needy, and devoted his time to serving those less fortunate.
The Origin and History of a Christmas Legend. The story behind Santa goes back to the third century during the time of St. Nicholas, a monk, even though some sources state that he was a bishop. Nicholas was born around 280 A.D. in Patara, in modern-day Turkey.
They were first introduced in literature by Louisa May Alcott in 1856. Santa is much older, emerging in U.S. folklore in the early 17th century from St. Nicholas with attributes of various European Christmas traditions, especially from English Father Christmas and Dutch Sinterklaas.
According to historical records, Santa is real. 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.
Nicholas was a real man. He was a bishop, living in the 3rd century, in what's now modern-day Turkey. Professor Adam English of Campbell University in North Carolina pieced together the life of St. Nicholas in his new book, The Saint Who Would Be Santa Claus: The True Life and Trials of Nicholas of Myra.
According to History.com, the monk who over time would evolve into Santa Claus was born in what is now modern-day Turkey in 280 A.D., making him a whopping 1,741 years old!
Traditional Santas wear bright red fleecy suits, lined with white fur and big black boots to fight off the northern winter. In Australia, it's summer at Christmas time so you're much more likely to see a boardshort wearing Santa on a surfboard.
A long time ago, Santa was known as Saint Nicholas by his peers because he was so kind to others and often gave gifts to those in need. Today, some still call Santa “Saint Nicholas” among his many nicknames.
Though most often portrayed as White, Santa is also depicted as Black or of other races. His race or color is sometimes a subject of controversy.
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.
Patrick Allen, Claus spent nine years in a low-key legal battle to change his name to Santa A. Claus, a proposal rejected by the state and by a Lehigh County judge, but at last granted in 1995 thanks to the intercession of then-state Sen. Roy C. Afflerbach.
If you were to ask people where the legend of Santa Claus began, they'd probably start by telling you that the name “Santa” is merely a moniker for Saint Nicholas, a man who existed a long time ago and was renowned for his generosity toward children.
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.
Claus's first name comes from a historically accurate set of stories written by James Rees in 1849. This book of stories is called “Mysteries of City Life.” In it, Mr. Rees asserts that Mrs. Claus's first name is in fact Gertrude.
But before Moore's poem and Coca-Cola's advertisements, there was the original St. Nicholas. As the Bishop of Myra in the 4th Century, his traditional robes were red and white.