When we think of Santa Claus an old man in red and white costume emerges in front of us. He is responsible for filling the kids’ stockings with Splendid Christmas presents.

The custom differs in the USA Santa Claus reminds of the one made by Muskegon native Haddon H. Sundblom. For the Christmas advertisements of the Coca Cola Company he utilized to draw new illustrations almost every year from 1931-1964. Sundblom’s image of Coca Cola Santa Claus was demonstrated on billboards along with the back covers of magazines.

Haddon Hubbard Sundblom was born in Muskegon, Michigan, on June 22, 1899. He was the youngest of the nine brothers and sisters. Being an artist he painted ads for Ford, Lincoln, Pierce-Arrow and Marmon. The style of Coco Cola Santa Claus advertising begun by him was gone on for more than thirty years.

That time Santa Claus was displayed as a gnome wearing clothes of green, blue, white or red color. While making an image of Santa Claus for Coca Cola Sundblom remembered Clement Moore’s poem “It was the night before Christmas”. According to Moore, Santa had a broad face along with a round little belly. He was chubby and plump with a good mood and outstanding laugh.

Santa Claus’s red-and-white costume coincided with the same colors of the Coca-Cola logo. Sundblom’s Coco Cola Santa Claus was dressed up in a wide, tan leather belt with a brass buckle. He wore tan boots with a folded leather cuff. An outstanding feature in this Santa’s look was his black eye brows and white beard.