What colour was the original Santa?


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There's loads of information on the Internet that shows he was often dressed in red before the Coca Cola adverts began, and there are various examples to be found of illustrations from the 19th century showing him in red. But he was also as likely to be dressed in other colours.

There's something of a distinction as well between Santa Claus - in the tunic with the belt - and Father Christmas - in the robes. Father Christmas is always depicted in red these days, but I think it was the Santa Claus in the red TUNIC that Coca Cola featured.

The two names are more or less interchangeable, but when I was a child he was more often referred to as Father Christmas.

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I never thought of that before, and yes you are right they are usually depicted differently. If my memory serves me right, then the Coke character was modelled by a guy who's name I think was Gill Prentice, a travelling salesman. I looked it all up last year.

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He wore green tunic. I last saw him about a year ago...

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Santa Claus is a derivative of Saint Nicholas, who is the patron saint of children,(as well as sailors, pawn brokers and thieves!), or Sinter Klaas if you are Dutch. Actually you would expect the Saint Nicholas to be wearing the robes.

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Over here in north eastern France, the children celebrate Saint Nicolas day, which is tomorrow the 6th, I will be giving my grandson some money and fruit which is the local tradition....

In the Black Forest area of Germany which is only a few miles from here, Father Christmas has a red coat and green trousers,

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Ladies and Gentlemen..

Five minutes of your time in reading the attached thread will give you all the answers and dispel any myths.

I would post some early pictures of Father Christmas as he was known in the early days but I am unable to do so.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus

Ho Ho Ho

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  • 5 years later...

So the town council has nothing better to do then ? Marvellous isn't it ?  There's always someone deranged trying to change the world.

Is obvious he's a man, as a woman wouldn't be capable of controlling ten reindeer, or lugging heavy sacks about ! 

Sorry ladies !

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