What is the story of Santa Clause?

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Merry Christmas Postcard with Santa Claus Giving Gifts



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Santa Claus

Santa Claus

legendary figure
Alternate titles: Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Sinterklaas
 
BY The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica | Last Updated:  | View Edit History
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Santa Claus, legendary figure who is the traditional patron of Christmas in the United States and other countries, bringing gifts to children. His popular image is based on traditions associated with Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century Christian saint. Father Christmas fills the role in many European countries.

Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Merry Old Santa Claus by Thomas Nast.
© North Wind Picture Archives

The Dutch are credited with transporting the legend of Saint Nicholas (Sinterklaas) to New Amsterdam (now New York City), along with the custom of giving gifts and sweets to children on his feast day, December 6. The current depiction of Santa Claus is based on images drawn by cartoonist Thomas Nast for Harper’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 the Coca-Cola Company from 1931 by illustrator Haddon 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; Coca-Cola
Santa Claus; Coca-Cola
Somebody Knew I Was Coming, a depiction of Santa Claus holding a bottle of Coca-Cola; painting by Haddon Sundblom for the Coca-Cola Company, 1940.
PRNewsFoto/The Coca-Cola Company/AP Images

Santa Claus is said to live at the North Pole with his wife, where he spends the year making toys with the help of his elves. 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 reindeer, 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.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Augustyn.

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