How to Dress Up as Santa Claus

Santa Claus is the best known symbol of the Christmas season. However, Santa Claus has not always dressed in his classic red-and-white suit. The earliest versions of Santa Claus, or Saint Nicholas as he was called, show him dressed in long robes trimmed with fur and mistletoe.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Begin with the white beard. Use as good a quality white beard as possible for the most realistic look. Stay away from those beards (and wigs) that looking like a bunch of cotton batting.

2. Add some blush to the apples of the cheek and the tip of the nose.

3. Cover your eyebrows with fake white hair using makeup adhesive.

4. Pad your stomach and midriff with pillows to get that "bowl full of jelly" look.

5. Slip on the classic red-and-white Santa Claus suit along with a pair of glossy black boots.

6. Top off the look with white wig and a red-and-white hat. For an added touch, place a piece of mistletoe toe on the hat brim.

7. Finish with a large cloth sack filled with Christmas gifts.

Tips & Warnings

• Dress like an earlier version of Santa Claus. Both Saint Nicholas (still very popular in the Netherlands, parts of Germany and Belgium) and Father Christmas (the gift-bearer for Great Britain and parts of France) wear long robes, reminiscent of the robes worn by Saint Nicholas, who started out as the Bishop of Myra.

Resources

• Learn more about the history of Santa Claus at Suite 101.
• Buy a Santa Claus suit at Become.com.

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