History of Santa Claus in Timeline
Santa Claus is a legendary figure in Western Christian culture. He is known for delivering gifts on Christmas Eve, traveling in a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer. According to tradition, Santa's gifts are made by Christmas elves in his workshop. He is a central figure in Christmas celebrations, embodying generosity and the spirit of giving.
1902: Publication of "The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus"
In 1902, L. Frank Baum's children's book "The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus" was published. It established aspects of Santa's mythos, including his immortality granted by a vote, his motives for bringing joy to children, and his invention of toys.
1912: Leedham Bantock's Santa Claus Film
In 1912, Leedham Bantock became the first actor identified as playing Santa Claus in a film, "Santa Claus", which he also directed.
1912: USPS Santa Letter Answering Effort Started
In 1912, the USPS Santa letter answering effort started out of the historic James Farley Post Office in New York.
1915: White Rock Beverages Uses Santa in Advertisements
In 1915, White Rock Beverages used a Santa figure in monochrome advertisements for mineral water. This was earlier than Coca-Cola's Santa ads, debunking a common urban legend.
1917: Christmas Celebrations Prohibited in Soviet Union
In 1917, following the foundation of the Soviet Union, Christmas celebrations, including Santa Claus and Christmas trees, were prohibited due to the state's antireligious campaign.
1918: Santa Photos with Children
Having a Santa actor set up to take pictures with children is a ritual that dates back at least to 1918. The concept of photos with Santa became a widespread tradition.
1923: White Rock Beverages Uses Color Images of Santa Claus
From 1923 to 1925, White Rock Beverages used color images of Santa Claus in adverts for drink mixers, predating Coca-Cola's widespread use of Santa in their advertising campaigns.
1937: Establishment of the Charles W. Howard Santa School
In 1937, Charles W. Howard, who played Santa Claus, established the Charles W. Howard Santa School, which is the oldest continuously run such school in the world.
1938: Premiere of "The Plot to Overthrow Christmas"
In 1938, Norman Corwin's comic radio play "The Plot to Overthrow Christmas" detailed a conspiracy to assassinate Santa Claus.
1939: Creation of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
In 1939, Robert L. May created Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer as the 9th reindeer for Montgomery Ward.
1940: Re-production of "The Plot to Overthrow Christmas"
In 1940, Norman Corwin's comic radio play "The Plot to Overthrow Christmas" was re-produced.
1940: "Operation Santa" by USPS
Since 1940, the USPS Santa letter answering effort has been called "Operation Santa" to ensure that letters to Santa are adopted by charitable organizations.
1944: Re-production of "The Plot to Overthrow Christmas"
In 1944, Norman Corwin's comic radio play "The Plot to Overthrow Christmas" was re-produced again.
1948: Publication of "Roads"
In 1948, Seabury Quinn's novel "Roads" drew from historical legends to tell the story of Santa and the origins of Christmas.
1949: Popularization of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Song
In 1949, Gene Autry immortalized Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in a popular song.
1956: Popularity of "Mrs. Santa Claus" Song
In 1956, the popular song "Mrs. Santa Claus" by George Melachrino helped standardize the character and role of Mrs. Claus.
1958: Santa Claus Denounced in Denmark
In 1958, Reverend Paul Nedergaard in Copenhagen, Denmark, denounced Santa Claus as a "heathen goblin" after his image appeared on a Christmas stamp.
1962: French Postal Service Answers Letters to Santa
In 1962, the French national postal service began operating a service to answer letters addressed to Père Noël (Santa Claus), sending responses back to the children.
1963: Publication of "How Mrs. Santa Claus Saved Christmas"
In 1963, the children's book "How Mrs. Santa Claus Saved Christmas" by Phyllis McGinley further helped establish the character and role of Mrs. Claus in the US.
1978: Belief in Santa Claus Among Children in America
In 1978, a study showed that 85% of American five-year-olds believed in Santa Claus, while only 25% of eight-year-olds still held that belief.
December 1981: Bloom County Story on Santa's Elves' Strike
From December 15, 1981 through December 24, 1981, a Bloom County story featured Santa rejecting the demands of PETCO, leading to a strike by the elves, showcasing a humorous take on Santa's workshop.
1997: EmailSanta.com Creation
In 1997, a Canada Post strike led Alan Kerr to create emailSanta.com for his niece and nephews, quickly receiving over 1,000 emails.
December 2000: Weather Channel's "SantaWatch"
In December 2000, the Weather Channel built upon local efforts to provide a national Christmas Eve "Santa tracking" effort, called "SantaWatch", in cooperation with NASA, the International Space Station, and Dreamtime Holdings.
2001: The Sopranos Episode with Santa Claus Reference
In 2001, in "The Sopranos" episode "To Save Us All from Satan's Power", Paulie Gualtieri made a comment about Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus running a sweatshop, reflecting a cynical view of the Santa mythos.
2002: Canada Post's Santa Letter Replies
From 2002 to 2014, Canada Post replied to approximately "one million letters or more a year, and in total answered more than 24.7 million letters".
2005: Publication of Nicholas: The Epic Journey from Saint to Santa Claus
In 2005, Jeremy Seal, the author of Nicholas: The Epic Journey from Saint to Santa Claus, discussed Santa's 19th-century elements, such as reindeer and a sleigh, in an interview.
2006: France's Postal Service Received Most Letters for Santa
In 2006, according to the UPU's 2007 study, France's Postal Service received the most letters for Santa Claus with 1,220,000 letters from 126 countries.
2006: Jonathan Meath Earns Master of Santa Claus Degree
In 2006, children's television producer Jonathan Meath earned the degree Master of Santa Claus, marking a significant step in the professionalization of Santa portrayals.
September 2007: Derry City Sets Santa Gathering Record
In September 2007, Derry City, Northern Ireland, held the Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people dressed as Santa Claus or Santa's helpers with 12,965 participants.
December 2007: Santa Claus Festival in Bishkek
In December 2007, a Santa Claus Festival was held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, with government officials attending, as part of a tourism-boosting initiative.
2007: UPU Study on Santa Letter Efforts
According to the Universal Postal Union (UPU)'s 2007 study and survey of national postal operations, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has the oldest Santa letter answering effort by a national postal system.
December 2008: Canada Grants Citizenship to Santa Claus
On December 23, 2008, Canada formally awarded Canadian citizenship to Santa Claus, ensuring his right to re-enter Canada after his Christmas Eve duties.
2008: Kyrgyzstan Declares the Year of Santa Claus
In 2008, Kyrgyzstan officially declared it the Year of Santa Claus, as part of efforts to promote tourism in the country.
2009: Failed Santa Gathering Record Attempt in Bucharest
In 2009, a gathering of Santas in Bucharest, Romania attempted to top the world record, but failed with only 3,939 Santas.
2012: Malls Offer Private Santa Visits for Autistic Children
In 2012, Southcentre Mall in Calgary was the first to offer private visits with Santa for autistic children, allowing them to avoid crowds and have a calmer experience.
December 2014: Largest Gathering of Santa Clauses Record
In December 2014, Thrissur, Kerala, India, achieved the Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of Santa Clauses with 18,112 participants.
2014: Canada Post's Santa Letter Replies
From 2002 to 2014, Canada Post replied to approximately "one million letters or more a year, and in total answered more than 24.7 million letters".
2015: Canada Post Responds to over 1.5 Million Letters
As of 2015, Canada Post responds to more than 1.5 million letters per year, "in over 30 languages, including Braille answering them all in the language they are written".
2020: Video Calls with Santa Claus During Pandemic
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, many Santa grottos were closed and some companies offered video calls for a fee using apps such as Zoom where children could speak to an actor who was dressed as Santa Claus.
2021: Black Santas at Disney Parks
In 2021, Walt Disney World and Disneyland featured Black cast members portraying Santa for the first time, marking a significant milestone in diversity and representation.
2024: Controversy over Yellow Santa Sculpture in Brazil
In 2024, a yellow-clothed Santa Claus sculpture with green accessories was installed in Balneário Camboriú, Santa Catarina, Brazil, generating controversy due to its perceived association with political extremism.
