Saint Nicholas, the Christian religious figure that we now know as Santa Claus, was the symbol for Christmas. When the franchise that we know today as Coca Cola had found a new look for Santa Claus to advertise their cans, the company made a giant impact on how the people in our modern day world picture him and who they may think of him in general.

Santa Claus is the magic man who comes through our chimneys and gives us gifts on Christmas Eve and when we wake up in the morning, we have all the presents and toys that we have ever wanted waiting for us underneath our glamourous Christmas tree. Saint Nick started out being religious figure as a man to celebrate christmas. As people came across the name and idea, they made Santa Claus the new Saint Nick to replace because many people hadn’t been religous that could have possibly celebrated Christmas.

Before the Christmas of 1931 and Coca Cola’s huge impact on Christmas, people had an image of Santa Claus as any color but typically greens, reds, and blues as well as many different shapes and outfits. Coca Cola cans around that time had been made mainly in red colors, which had made a huge impact on why they chose to advertise their company’s cans with Santa Claus. They made Santa Claus wearing fluffy clothing, all held together with his one black belt buckle and topped with his tiny hat. His attire and fur was made to match their company’s main color scheme of white and red, and they did this to make a special can decoration for the holiday of christmas.

Many have their own image of what modern day Santa Claus would look like but the Coca Cola franchise did have an amazing impact on what the modern day Saint Nicholas has become. When Coke had input an image of the red Santa Claus onto their cans, the many people that had seen the cans now had an image of Santa as the jolly, red man with rosey cheeks and a big white beard that we know today. The Coca Cola franchise made a small advertisement in the early 30’s, but who knew that the small soda company would shape Santa Claus forever.