Every Christmas, homes are filled with stories about the character who delivers gifts on the night of December 24th. For some he is Santa Claus, for others Father Christmas, but in all cases he is a figure who, over time, has become a global tradition. However, his origin is neither uniform nor strictly religious. Unlike the Three Wise Men, whose story comes directly from the Gospel of Matthew, the figure of Santa Claus is the result of centuries of cultural mixing, pagan legends, migrations, literature, and advertising. Today he is known as the jolly old man in a red suit who travels in a sleigh pulled by reindeer. But arriving at that image required a long historical process that began with a 3rd-century Christian bishop and ended up being consolidated in the United States in the mid-20th century.

The Origin of Santa Claus

According to National Geographic's website, the starting point for Santa Claus is Saint Nicholas of Bari, a bishop of Greek origin who lived between the 3rd and 4th centuries in the region of Lycia, in present-day Turkey.

Accounts tell that he came from a wealthy family and dedicated much of his life to helping those in need. He did so discreetly: he left bags of money or provisions overnight for the recipients to find at dawn. This anonymous gesture gave rise to the association between Saint Nicholas and nighttime gifts. Over time, his figure spread throughout Europe, and many communities celebrated his feast day on December 6th, when children left boots or shoes in windows to receive small surprises. In countries like the Netherlands, Germany, and Austria, their own versions of the saint emerged, such as Sinterklaas or Mikulas, and in some regions, he was linked to Krampus, a spirit responsible for reprimanding children who had misbehaved. Another influence came from pagan representations of Christmas:An old bearded man in a long robe and a hat adorned with mistletoe, who embodied the spirit of winter.

His name varied depending on the language, but in many regions it was equivalent to "Father Christmas," the linguistic origin of Santa Claus, widely used in French-speaking countries. In Chile, for example, he is called Viejo Pascuero (Old Christmas).

The Leap to America and the Modern Version

The modern concept of Santa Claus took its definitive form when Dutch colonists brought their customs to America in the 17th century. The Dutch community of New Amsterdam (present-day New York) kept the celebration of Sinterklaas alive.

In 1809, the writer Washington Irving published A History of New York, where he included a humorous version of Saint Nicholas. In the book, he appeared as a plump Dutch sailor, dressed in a coat and boots. Although his clothes were green, this is the first representation close to the modern Santa Claus. The drawing evolved a few decades later thanks to cartoonist Thomas Nast, who between 1860 and 1880 created for Harper's Weekly the image that would forever define the character: a robust, cheerful man with a white beard and a thick coat. From this representation, American companies began to use him in Christmas advertisements. The final popularization of the red Santa Claus came in the 20th century. Although the Coca-Cola Company is often mistakenly credited with "creating" this character, the truth is that the red suit was already common before the brand's advertising campaigns. Coca-Cola did contribute to its global spread starting in the 1930s, when it adopted the red-coated Santa Claus for its Christmas posters. The color scheme matched their corporate colors, which facilitated its worldwide association with Christmas and American culture. The influence of companies like the Lomen Company, which in the 1910s used the image of the sleigh and reindeer to promote its reindeer meat production in Alaska, also played a role.Dressed in a coat and boots. Although his clothes were green, this is the first representation close to the modern Santa Claus.

The drawing evolved a few decades later thanks to cartoonist Thomas Nast, who between 1860 and 1880 created for Harper's Weekly the image that would forever define the character: a robust, cheerful man with a white beard and a thick coat.

From this representation, American companies began to use him in Christmas advertisements.

The final popularization of the red Santa Claus came in the 20th century. Although the Coca-Cola company is often mistakenly credited with “creating” this character, the truth is that the red suit was already common before the brand's advertising campaigns.

Coca-Cola did contribute to its global spread starting in the 1930s, when it adopted the red-coated Santa Claus for its Christmas posters. The color scheme matched their corporate colors, which facilitated its worldwide association with Christmas and American culture. The influence of companies like the Lomen Company, which in the 1910s used the image of the sleigh and reindeer to promote its reindeer meat production in Alaska, also played a role.Dressed in a coat and boots. Although his clothes were green, this is the first representation close to the modern Santa Claus.

The drawing evolved a few decades later thanks to cartoonist Thomas Nast, who between 1860 and 1880 created for Harper's Weekly the image that would forever define the character: a robust, cheerful man with a white beard and a thick coat.

From this representation, American companies began to use him in Christmas advertisements.

The final popularization of the red Santa Claus came in the 20th century. Although the Coca-Cola company is often mistakenly credited with “creating” this character, the truth is that the red suit was already common before the brand's advertising campaigns.

Coca-Cola did contribute to its global spread starting in the 1930s, when it adopted the red-coated Santa Claus for its Christmas posters. The color scheme matched their corporate colors, which facilitated its worldwide association with Christmas and American culture. The influence of companies like the Lomen Company, which in the 1910s used the image of the sleigh and reindeer to promote its reindeer meat production in Alaska, also played a role.