What are the origins of Santa Claus?
The Santa Claus we know today has gone through centuries of transformation. If his jovial silhouette and his red costume are now universal symbols, his origins lie in diverse and distant traditions. The story of Santa Claus begins with Saint Nicholas, bishop of Myra (present-day Türkiye) in the 4th century.
Known for his generosity towards children and the poor, he often wore a coat and a beard, characteristics which linked him to the image of Santa Claus. However, the white beard is not a systematic feature in early depictions of Saint Nicholas. This image of the white beard developed more in the 19th century, as the character approached the iconography of Santa Claus. Note that although Saint Nicholas was indeed often represented with a beard, the white beard only became a central characteristic in the 19th century, notably with the evolution of Santa Claus.
A character from the United States
A tutelary figure at the end of years and source of popular religious festivals in northern Europe and eastern France, Saint Nicholas leaves his mark on generations, particularly the Dutch faithful. Despite the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, the figure was perpetuated there. Transformed into a semi-secular figure, she is renamed “Sinter Klass” who still distributes toys.
With the various migrations to the United States, “Sinter Klass” is exported across the Atlantic. He becomes “Santa Claus”. But it was not until December 1823 that American Protestant pastor Clement Clarke Moore wrote the Christmas poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” This story about “Saint Nicholas” lays the foundation for what Santa Claus will become over the years. After a ride in a flying sleigh pulled by eight reindeer, we see the smiling Nicholas landing on the roofs of the houses then going down the chimney to leave presents for the good children. In January 1863, the cartoonist Thomas Nast drew Santa Claus for the first time with a costume with white fur trim and a large leather belt. A residence at the North Pole will be added later. Santa Claus is taking shape.
Santa Claus goes commercial
With growing success in families, sometimes to the point of eclipsing the Nativity of Jesus, Santa Claus is more and more present at the end of the year. Wanting to use this success to boost its sales in winter, the famous Coca-Cola soda brand imprinted it for its advertising in 1931. The illustrator Haddon Sundblom depicted a Santa Claus dressed in a red and white outfit – in the colors of the brand – drinking the famous drink.
In France, it was not until the end of the Second World War and the arrival of American soldiers that this guy became popular. In 1946, the famous song “Petit Papa Noël” used the character to pay tribute to children left fatherless after the conflict. The figure of Santa Claus is then quickly integrated into family traditions, symbolizing the joy of Christmas in a context of reconstruction.
