5
The legendary Coca-Cola advertisement
Source: NBC, Image: SenseiAlan via Flickr
One of the better-known Santa Claus facts, a 1931 Coca-Cola advertisement became the final version of St. Nick we mostly celebrate today. Illustrator Haddon Sundblom was responsible for creating the polished black-leather boots and thick white-fur trim that continue to dominate Coke ads and our conception of Santa.
4
Mrs. Claus comes on the scene
Source: The Smoking Jacket, Image: Pixabay
Santa flew solo until 1849 when James Rees’ “A Christmas Legend” first introduced Santa’s wife and partner, Mrs. Claus. For the next half-century, Santa’s spouse continued to pop up in various publications until Katherine Lee Bates’ 1899 poem, “Goody [Mrs.] Santa Claus on a Sleigh Ride”, embedded the warm and caring Mrs. Claus into the public psyche.
3
Countries which shun the jolly gift-giver
Source: National Geographic, Image: Wikipedia
A variety of countries prefer to keep the red-nosed, jolly Santa Claus out of their Christmas celebrations, preferring their own local version of Christmas gift bringers. Two such examples are the Netherlands where Sinterklaas is seen at parades throughout December and southern Germany and northern Austria where the Krampus frequently visits Christmas markets.
2
How the Japanese celebrate Christmas
Source: Why Christmas, Image: Wikimedia
In Japan, a Buddhist priest known as Hoteiosho is the gift-bringer. Known for having eyes in the back of his head (to watch if children are being good), Hoteiosho is a benevolent-looking old man who carries around a massive sack to reward good boys and girls. (Oh, and today, fried chicken is massively popular in Japan on Christmas Eve and Day.)
1
The Soviet Union changes Santa
Source: National Geographic, Image: Pixabay
The last fact on our list of odd Santa facts comes to us from a place cold enough to house the big man. After the Russian Revolution, the Soviet Union banned Santa Claus – Grandfather Frost or Ded Moroz in Russian – and any celebration of Christmas. The then-unpopular Joseph Stalin brought Grandfather Frost back in the 1930’s but changed his gift-giving to New Year’s in an attempt to drum up public support and secularize the holiday. Wherever the Soviets went across Europe, they tried to spread a blue-coated version of the secularized Santa Claus. But, thankfully for traditional Santa lovers, the new version never stuck.
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