What color was Santa Claus originally?

As a cultural historian with a focus on iconography and the evolution of popular figures, I've often been asked about the origins and transformations of characters like Santa Claus. The figure of Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas, Kris Kringle, Father Christmas, or simply Santa, has a rich and varied history that spans centuries and cultures. Let's delve into the origins of Santa Claus's color and the evolution of his attire. The Origins of Santa Claus: The modern figure of Santa Claus is derived from the historical figure of Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century Christian bishop from Myra, in present-day Turkey. Saint Nicholas was known for his generous gifts and secret acts of kindness, particularly his habit of providing dowries for poor girls by throwing bags of gold through windows. These stories were later embellished and spread throughout Europe, leading to the tradition of gift-giving at Christmas. The Color of Santa's Attire: The color of Santa's outfit has not always been the bright red we're familiar with today. Prior to the 19th century, depictions of Saint Nicholas varied widely across different cultures. In some European countries, he was shown wearing green, which symbolized the return of spring and the hope of rebirth. This is likely why some older depictions of Santa Claus show him in a green suit. Thomas Nast and the Modern Santa: The modern image of Santa Claus, including his red suit, is largely attributed to the artist Thomas Nast. Nast, a German-American caricaturist, created a series of seasonal illustrations for Harper's Weekly from the 1860s through the 1880s. These illustrations depicted Santa Claus as a plump, jolly man with a white beard, wearing a red suit with white fur trim. Nast's illustrations were instrumental in shaping the popular image of Santa Claus that we know today. Haddon Sundblom and Coca-Cola: While Thomas Nast established the red suit as Santa's signature color, it's often mistakenly believed that Haddon Sundblom, an illustrator who created the Coca-Cola advertising campaigns featuring Santa Claus in the 1930s, was responsible for this. Sundblom's images of Santa were indeed influential and helped to further popularize the red suit. However, it was Nast's earlier work that had already established red as the color of Santa's outfit. The Influence of Advertising: The role of advertising, particularly from companies like Coca-Cola, cannot be understated. Sundblom's depictions of Santa in Coca-Cola's Christmas advertisements were widely circulated and helped to cement the image of Santa in a red suit in the public consciousness. The red and white colors of Santa's suit also conveniently matched the colors of the Coca-Cola brand, which may have contributed to the company's decision to use this version of Santa in their advertising. Conclusion: In conclusion, the original color of Santa Claus's outfit was not red, and it was through the artistic interpretations, particularly those of Thomas Nast, that the red suit became the standard. The association with the color red has since been reinforced by various forms of media and advertising, creating a visual identity that is now universally recognized.

Prior to Nast's work, Santa's outfit was tan in color, and it was he that changed it to red, although he also drew Santa in a green suit. This change is often mistakenly attributed to the work of Haddon Sundblom, who drew images of Santa in advertising for the Coca-Cola Company since 1931.