Santa suits are a beloved part of the Christmas experience. With everyone from the mall Santa Claus to party revelers donning the red and white costume around the holidays, it's no wonder songs like I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus are part of Christmas tradition. The Santa suit typically consists of an oversized red and white jacket and pant set as well as a pointy red Santa hat and black boots. Accoutrements like a false white beard and a large black belt cinched over a false belly are often incorporated.
Coca-Cola and Santa Claus
Santa's suit wasn't always the iconic red and white. Saint Nicholas, the original model for the modern Santa Claus, wore a green suit. Popular Civil War cartoonist Thomas Nast drew Santa Claus for Harper's Weekly for 30 years, and along the way changed the color of his coat from tan to the now traditional red. A commonly-repeated urban legend says that the Santa outfit was changed to a red suit as part of a marketing campaign by Coca-Cola in the 1950s, but in fact Coke based their Santa image on Nast's iconic cartoons.Coca-Cola: Coca-Cola and Santa ClausSnopes: Coca-Cola invents Santa Claus?
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Fast Facts
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Based on the outfit traditionally worn by Santa Claus
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Consists of red suit with furry white accents, a pointy red hat, a false beard and a black belt
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Often accompanied by shouts of "Ho ho ho"
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Partygoers and small children often sit on a costumed Santa's knee and reveal their Christmas wishlist
