Blog/How our view of Christmas has been shaped by big brand
25th December 2025
For most people in the Western world, the image of Santa Claus is instantly recognizable: a jolly, round-bellied man with rosy cheeks, a flowing white beard, and a bright red suit trimmed in white fur. Although the legend of Santa stretches back centuries, it was 20th-century advertising that fixed this now-iconic figure in our collective imagination.
The historical roots of Santa lie with Saint Nicholas, a Greek bishop who lived in the Mediterranean during the Roman Empire. He became renowned for his steadfast defence of the Christian faith and for his generous, often secret, gift-giving during a period of persecution. His compassion, particularly toward children and the poor, earned him recognition as the patron saint of children.
For centuries, Saint Nicholas was celebrated on his feast day, 6 December, when gifts were exchanged in his honour. However, the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s dampened enthusiasm for saints, particularly in Europe and the tradition of gift-giving was given to the Christ Child, and the celebration shifted to 25 December, the date observed as the birth of Jesus Christ.
Yet the idea of an infant delivering gifts proved somewhat impractical – even to a 16th-century imagination. Gradually, a helper figure re-emerged, blending older Saint Nicholas traditions with new cultural influences. This figure took on the role of rewarding good behaviour and encouraging piety.
Over time, Saint Nicholas evolved into a range of regional characters across Europe, including Sinterklaas and Pelznickel. As the centuries passed, the overtly religious aspects softened, and Christmas increasingly became a family-centred winter celebration – shaped as much by folklore and seasonal customs as by theology.
Gradually, predominantly through literature and illustration, the gift-giving, sleigh-riding, beard-sporting Santa Claus we know and love began to take shape. But, his appearance still varied widely – he was sometimes tall and thin, other times small and elf-like, and his clothing could be green, brown or red. He was even shown riding a broomstick in one depiction. This all changed in 1931 when Coca-Cola commissioned illustrator Haddon Sundblom to create a series of Christmas advertisements.
Sundblom’s Santa was warm, human, and relatable. He smiled broadly, interacted playfully with children, and took joyful breaks to enjoy a bottle of Coke.
Inspired partly by Clement Clarke Moore’s poem A Visit from St. Nicholas, Sundblom painted a Santa who felt real – someone who might genuinely squeeze down your chimney on Christmas Eve.
The advertisements appeared in major magazines and on billboards across the United States, and eventually around the world. As an already powerful global brand, Coca-Cola ensured that this version of Santa had extraordinary reach. Over time, the red-and-white suited figure – conveniently echoing the company’s own colours – became the definitive image of Christmas cheer.
Beyond standardising Santa’s look, the campaigns reinforced a particular vision of the holiday itself: one centred on warmth, togetherness, generosity, and simple pleasures. Images of families gathered by the fire, children waiting in eager anticipation, and cosy winter scenes linked the emotional heart of Christmas with the act of sharing a Coke.
Coca-Cola did not invent Santa Claus, but it undeniably refined and broadcast the modern image to a global audience. Through consistent storytelling and powerful visual branding, the company fused folklore with marketing—and in doing so, helped shape not only how Santa looks, but how much of the world imagines Christmas itself.