Nice Santa

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.

After giving everyone the creeps with mean Santa and Krampus, here's the 1950's jolly Santa we grew up with, right out of the famous Night Before Christmas poem. A big improvement, although he still does a good job of frightening little children.


St. Nicholas evolved into modern Santa Claus during a time of cultural transition in America. He started to show up with gifts on Christmas Eve instead of December 6th, St. Nicholas Day. Our domesticated Christmas with cozy families, decorated trees and gifts was an invention of Victorian times. Before that, the mid-winter season was characterized by raucous, drunken mobs roaming the streets and frightening the upper classes. Coming after harvest when work was finished, this was the time when workers and servants had leisure to party and demand more.

But by the 19th century, a new understanding of family life and children was also emerging. Childhood was coming to be seen as a stage when sheltering, training and education were needed. And so the season was tamed, turning toward commercialism and home activities. St. Nicholas began to fit the changing times. Santa was portrayed by artists in a variety of styles and sizes, but by the end of the 1920's a standard American Santa emerged. In 1931, Haddon Sundblom began 35 years of advertising that cemented Santa as an icon of commercial culture. Some say Coca Cola actually created the American image of Santa.

And the rest is Madison Avenue history. Santa didn't just drink Coke. After a long, hard day of chimney diving and sleigh flying, even an icon like Santa Claus needs to kick back and enjoy a fine smoke.

HO, HO, HO-- cough, cough, cough.
Happy Holidays!