What did the original Father Christmas look like?
Father Christmas dates back as far as 16th century in England during the reign of Henry VIII, when he was pictured as a large man in green or scarlet robes lined with fur. He typified the spirit of good cheer at Christmas, bringing peace, joy, good food and wine and revelry.
What was the original Father Christmas Colour?
green
The original British Father Christmas, as depicted in 17th century, sported a beard, but it wasn’t white, and his clothing colour was green, not red. And we can thank Scandinavian myths for his reindeer pulled sled, though the red nosed reindeer leader, ‘Rudolph’, was another American advertising creation.
What did the Victorians call Father Christmas?
St Nicholas and Sinterklaas Long before the symbol of Father Christmas emerged in England, the separate legend of Sinterklaas was gaining ground in Europe.
What Colour was Santa in Victorian times?
However, it was not until the late part of the 19th century that the character adopted the red suit that was popular for Santa Claus in America, and so for much of the Victorian period, Father Christmas was often green.
When did Santa’s outfit turn red?
The tradition of him wearing red began in the 1870s with the American cartoonist Thomas Nast, who introduced the red suit and cap, white fur lining and buckled black belt.
What did St Nicholas look like?
The real Saint Nicholas is likely to have had olive skin, dark brown eyes and a wide chin and brow. He stood at 1.68 metres (5ft 6in) and had a broken nose. However, according to the researchers, he did sport white hair and a beard – as was the fashion for 4th century religious leaders.
Did the Victorians have Father Christmas?
During the Victorian period Christmas customs enjoyed a significant revival, including the figure of Father Christmas himself as the emblem of ‘good cheer’. His physical appearance at this time became more variable, and he was by no means always portrayed as the old and bearded figure imagined by 17th century writers.
Why did Santa become red?
Coca-Cola began to use the red image of Santa on advertising in the 1930s, when the company hired artist Haddon Sunbloom to create a character of Santa Claus for use in festive campaigns. The idea was to ensure people continued to drink Coke during the winter months, as the drink was associated with warm, summer days.
Why is Father Christmas green?
The green colour was used to signify the coming spring. If he wasn’t wearing green or red, Father Christmas sometimes wore long white fur robes instead. This colour was chosen to resemble snow and ice – in this way, Father Christmas was depicted as a personification of winter itself.
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