Did Coca-Cola invent Santa Claus? This is how the theory and the true origin of Santa Claus arose

Whatever the reason for which you celebrate Christmas, there is someone you can’t ignore: Santa Claus or Father Christmas. Without him, who would bring the presents?

Although the origin of Santa Claus is purely religious, many people associate him with ‘Coca-Cola’.

Where did the theory come from that the famous soft drink brand had invented the character of Santa Claus?

This is how the theory arose

The character of Santa Claus is based on the Christian bishop Saint Nicholas of Bari, who was widely known for being a generous man who distributed gifts to the poorest, especially children. The tradition reached the United States - specifically New York - via Dutch colonisers around the 17th century.

Literature and marketing did the rest. The American author, Washington Irving, was the one who popularized the name of Santa Claus through his satire ‘History of New York’; while its physiognomy is attributed to the German cartoonist Thomas Nast, who, in 1863, gave life to the image of Santa Claus for the Harper’s Weekly Christmas strips.

At that time, the image of Santa Claus was not very well known. It was not until the 1930s, thanks to Coca-Cola, that the character became popular in the US. The American brand ran a Christmas campaign in which the character was seen in the middle of the crowd drinking the soda.

This ad appeared in various magazines, so its reach was quite wide. Subsequently, the brand joined forces with illustrator Haddon Sundblom, who is responsible for giving the character a more realistic look, making it a global Christmas icon.