If you’re looking to surprise the kids this year and dress up as Santa Claus, you might think that a red suit lined with white fur is enough. Think again, as there is actually a difference between dressing as Santa and dressing as Father Christmas!

Most of us would think that they are the same characters, but there are quite big differences between the two. Both characters have different origin stories that are very interesting to learn about this holiday season and will add an extra layer to your Christmas celebrations.

The origins of Santa

Image source: Saint Nicholas Parish

It is widely believed that St. Nicholas is the original inspiration for this particular Christmas character. St. Nick wore, according to legend, a long red cape, carried a golden staff and wore a hat; he also left donations in the shoes of those most in need.

He became popular amongst the Christian community and was originally brought into the USA through Dutch immigrants. These traditions soon mixed with a variety of other traditions in the country and so Santa as we know him today was born!

The look of Santa

Image: Wikimedia

Today’s Santa is known for wearing a red suit and hat, lined and trimmed with white fur, along with a thick black belt and black boots – and this is typically the imagery projected in every santa’s grotto around the country. Many people attribute the origins of this look to a Christmas campaign by Coca-Cola in the 1930’s, though evidence has been found of this design in Harper’s Weekly in 1863 by Thomas Nast.

Nast originally designed this character to be a cross-over between a man and an elf, giving him some features that were found menacing by some. Coca-Cola also began with this type of image but it was soon changed into the jovial man we know today in order to make the character much more approachable.

The origins of Father Christmas

Image: found here

While the long coat worn by Father Christmas is similar to that of St. Nicholas, the origins of this particular Christmas character go back much further. The celebration of the Green Man in British and European history was a worship of a personification of nature.

The Green Man was decorated with ivy and berry holly, the traditional foliage even now associated with Christmas. He was supposed to be a very jovial man, whose large beard was constructed from holly and ivy!

The look of Father Christmas

Image: Fancy Dress Ball

As the Green Man symbolised ‘plenty’ rather than gifts, it was in the Victorian era that the character was combined with the traditions of St. Nicholas and became a Christmas gift character.

Father Christmas has always been a friendly, approachable character and is characterised by wearing a long red coat with white fur lining, held together with a thick black belt. The costumer appears to be a much more traditional, Victorian version of the suit we know from Santa.

In association with Fancy Dress Ball.