Where Did the Santa Claus Suit Originate?

The image of Santa Claus today is pretty standard: He is a plump jolly old elf wearing a red suit trimmed in white fur. However Santa was not always depicted this way.

Around the World

Historically different parts of the world have had different images of their holiday gift-giver. These Santas were dressed in just about any color imaginable, including black.

St. Nicholas

The red robe on our modern Santa possibly comes from St. Nicholas, an actual person who lived in the 4th century and who was known for his generosity to children. He wore a long red bishop's robe.

Coke

There is also a connection to the Coca Cola Company. They hired artist Hadon Sunblom in 1930 to develop Christmas advertising for their product.

Red and White

Sunblom took the colors of Coke, red and white, and created an outfit for Santa to wear.

Standard Image

These images appeared in national magazines such as National Geographic and helped to standardize the image of Santa Claus.

References

• The Color of Christmas: Why Santa Wears Red