Santa Claus is one of the most iconic figures associated with Christmas. He is recognized all over the world by children who eagerly await his annual visit on Christmas Eve. Santa is typically depicted as a jolly old man with a white beard, dressed in red and white. But his colorful outfit was not always so uniform. So when and why did Santa’s trademark red suit become the norm?
Santa’s Origins and Early Depictions
Santa Claus has his origins in folklore figures like St. Nicholas and Sinterklaas. These were gift-giving figures associated with the Christmas season. In the 19th century, the poem A Visit from St. Nicholas, now commonly known as The Night Before Christmas, popularized the image of Santa Claus. He was described as a plump, jolly old man who drove a sleigh pulled by reindeer.
In early depictions, Santa’s outfit was not yet standardized. Thomas Nast, a cartoonist who helped shape the image of Santa Claus, drew Santa in a variety of colors through the 1860s. A 1863 illustration shows Santa in a blue outfit with blue trousers, while an 1868 drawing depicts him in a tan suit with orange belt and collar.
By the late 19th century, a red suit with white fur trim had started to become a more consistent representation. However, green was also a very common color for Santa’s clothing. Some argue that the green represented a merging of the traditional Christmas colors red and green.
| Year | Depiction |
|---|---|
| 1863 | Blue suit and trousers |
| 1868 | Tan suit with orange belt and collar |
| Late 1800s | Red suit and white fur trim emerges as a depiction |
| Late 1800s | Green is also a common color for Santa’s suit |
The Coca-Cola Connection
Many people believe that Santa wore green until Coca-Cola began using images of Santa in advertising in 1931. That year, the company commissioned illustrator Haddon Sundblom to depict Santa Claus for a series of Christmas ads. Until then, the company had relied on images in the public domain.
Sundblom drew inspiration from Clement Moore’s poem and created the now-familiar image of Santa as a larger-than-life, warm-hearted character. Sundblom depicted Santa in a bright red suit with white fur trim, a look that echoed the earlier late 19th century depictions. That red and white Santa caught on and began appearing more frequently in other companies’ advertisements as well.
However, while the Coca-Cola campaign certainly helped popularize and standardize the red and white look, Santa was already being depicted in red in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The red in Sundblom’s images was likely meant to match Coca-Cola’s brand colors, building the association between Santa Claus and their soda.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1931 | Coca-Cola commissions Haddon Sundblom to illustrate Santa |
| 1931 | Sundblom depicts Santa in red with white fur trim |
| 1900s | Red Santa images already existed prior to Sundblom |
| 1930s | Coca-Cola ads help popularize red as Santa’s color |
Why Red Became Dominant
The bright, eye-catching red likely emerged as the dominant color for several reasons:
Branding
As mentioned, Coca-Cola’s advertising campaign in the 1930s helped cement red as the color associated with Santa Claus. The vivid red matched Coke’s brand image and was memorably used in their cheerful holiday ads for years.
Distinctiveness
Red is a very distinctive, easy to recognize color, especially when paired with the white fur trim on Santa’s suit. That made Santa stand out in illustrations and holiday decorations.
Traditional Christmas Colors
Red and green are considered the traditional Christmas colors, used for decorations and to represent holiday cheer. As a Christmas icon, it makes sense for Santa to incorporate red in his costume.
Trying to Standardize
As Santa Claus gained widespread cultural familiarity in the late 1800s and early 1900s, depictions likely shifted to a more standardized red costume so that children would readily recognize him.
The Power of Red
Red carries multiple symbolic associations that fit the character of Santa Claus. It represents warmth, love, passion, and cheerfulness.
| Reason | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Branding | Matched Coca-Cola’s brand identity |
| Distinctiveness | Eye-catching and recognizable |
| Christmas colors | Traditional red and green holiday hues |
| Standardization | Creating an iconic, consistent look |
| Symbolism | Red represents warmth, passion, and cheer |
When Did Green Disappear?
Though red was gaining prominence in the late 1800s and early 1900s, green remained a popular color for Santa’s clothing for awhile. However, by the 1940s, red with white fur trim had become the definitive look and green faded away.
During Sundblom’s time illustrating Coca-Cola ads (1930s-1960s), he always portrayed Santa in the red suit. With Coke’s huge distribution and millions seeing those ads, that helped make red the norm. Other companies like White Rock Beverages also depicted red-suited Santas in ads.
By the middle of the 20th century, green Santa was a relic of the past. When children wrote letters addressed to the North Pole and pictures of Santa Claus, he was invariably shown wearing red.
Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1940s | Red suit and white fur trim emerges as definitive Santa look |
| 1930s-1960s | Coca-Cola ads depict red Santa, exposure to millions |
| 1940s and on | Green Santa images fade away as red solidifies as color |
| Mid 20th century | Green Santa becomes relic of the past |
Rare Modern Green Santa Sightings
While the red-suited Santa is now the standard, traces of the old green Santa still pop up occasionally as nostalgic throwbacks:
- In 2006, a Coca-Cola ad reimagined Santa with a green suit to represent the soft drink’s original look before Sundblom.
- Some companies like Starbucks have used green-clad Santas in holiday cups and marketing as callbacks.
- Various children’s books and cartoons have shown Santa in green suits as a nod to older traditions.
- Costumed Santas may wear green outfits in historical re-enactments trying to capture Santa’s early days.
- Certain Christmas tree ornaments and decorations sometimes depict Santa in green suits.
However, these green Santa appearances are infrequent. Overwhelmingly, when children and adults think of Santa Claus today, they picture his trademark red suit with white trim.
Conclusion
Santa Claus was associated with a variety of colorful suits in early depictions, including a fair amount of green. But by the 1940s, the red Santa with white fur trim had become the standard image. Factors like distinctive branding, Christmas colors, and nostalgic tradition all contributed to red becoming the definite Santa suit color.
Coca-Cola’s ubiquitous 1930s advertising campaign helped cement red as Santa’s look. While they did not single-handedly create the red Santa, their ads ensured red’s dominance and the phase out of green Santa by the mid 20th century.
Today, green Santa persists only as an occasional nostalgic throwback. Red has become intrinsically tied to Santa Claus due to both branding success and the symbolic associations red carries. After over a century of tradition, it is hard to imagine jolly old Saint Nick wearing anything but his trademark red suit.