An illustrator named Thomas Nast helped create the Santa Claus we know today

Santa Claus is the result of centuries of evolving traditions

Originating from Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century bishop celebrated for his generosity, Santa's story merged with European folk legends like Sinterklaas and Father Christmas. By the 1800s, American culture redefined him, thanks to Clement Clarke Moore’s poem "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" and Thomas Nast’s illustrations.

Two Americans solidified the modern conception of Santa Claus in the 1800s

Clement Clarke Moore’s 1823 poem, now known as “The Night Before Christmas,” envisioned Santa riding a sleigh pulled by reindeer, making nighttime visits to provide gifts. Thomas Nast’s Harper’s Weekly illustrations in the 1860s–1880s established his distinctive appearance—large, bearded, and clad in an (often) red suit.

Saint Nicholas was a Turkish bishop from the third century

The Christian clergyman didn’t ride in a flying sleigh or have a workshop full of elves, but he was known for his generosity and anonymous good deeds, which became the basis for the story of Santa Claus.

Christmas elves evolved from Norse mythology to Santa’s workshop

Elves originated as powerful human-sized beings in Norse mythology, closely tied to nature and fertility. In the 1800s, American writers reimagined them as tiny, toy-making assistants for Santa Claus, with later visual depictions by Norman Rockwell and Disney solidifying their role in Christmas folklore.

Father Christmas was originally associated with decadent parties

The English figure of Father Christmas is another component of the character that would become Santa Claus. Father Christmas was depicted as eating and drinking to excess until the more austere Victorian era. He morphed into a figure dedicated to children and charity, eventually blending into the modern Santa Claus.

There’s a solid argument to be made that Macy’s was the inventor of the retail Santa

The Macy’s website claims that retail Santas—the Christmas icons who invite children to meet them at department stores and malls around the holidays—have been visiting the store since the 1860s.

Red and green became Christmas colors thanks to holly—and Coca-Cola

Holly's green leaves and bright red berries linked the colors to winter festivals for centuries, but Coca-Cola's 1931 Santa—painted by Haddon Sundblom in Coke-red robes—helped cement red and green as the modern Christmas palette.

Krampus is the evil counterpart to St. Nick in Alpine folklore

In Austrian and Bavarian tradition, Krampus is a horned, demonic figure who punishes naughty children with switches and chains. He is celebrated with parades and costumes around the holiday season.

One man in Germany answers a large amount of Santa's mail

There are a few places in the world where much of Santa Claus's mail ends up, often because their name includes the jolly man's moniker. One of those places is Nikolausdorf, Germany, where Hubert Weddehage, a local government employee, has responded to Santa's mail for over 50 years.

A brief history of Christmas tree design

A celebration of the Christmas tree in all its festive glory. Get a glimpse into its intriguing background and the lore that accompanies it.

The 1974 anarchist protest in Denmark that later inspired SantaCon

An interview with one of the participants explains what the performance art group that planned the event was hoping to achieve. Hordes of Santas walking down the street with a giant goose, attacking buildings with backhoes and pickaxes, handing out “presents” stolen from department stores, and eventually being arrested.

La Catrina is Day of the Dead’s unofficial symbol

The image of the skeleton in a feather hat, satirizing women who chased European fashion trends, first appeared in 1912 on broadsides printed by José Guadalupe Posada, a Mexican artist. Today, she is the holiday’s most recognizable symbol.

Charles Dickens' novels inspired a young Norman Rockwell

Rockwell is considered a narrative painter who tells stories through his portraits of everyday Americans. The interest in using images to tell stories began at a young age, when his father read Dickens aloud to him while the young Norman illustrated the books’ scenes.

El Niño, Spanish for 'the boy,' was named after Jesus Christ because the phenomenon resembled the weather changes observed around Christmastime.

Peter Brueghel's 'Hunters in the Snow' depicts winter beauty and hardship

The Dutch painter and printmaker is known for centering ordinary subjects at a time when protestant iconoclasts protested religious images and reduced the Church's role as an arts patron. The famous painting is often viewed as a cozy winter scene, but reveals the difficulties of harsh winters during the Little Ice Age in Europe.

Twain didn’t start wearing his iconic white suit until later in life

The writer first wore the white suit in 1906, at the Library of Congress. “I have reached the age where dark clothes have a depressing effect on me,” Twain told the Washington Post. “I prefer light clothing, colors, like those worn by the ladies at the opera.”

Tove Jansson's illustrations for 'The Hobbit' rankled some of its diehard fans

The Nordic illustrator was asked to contribute illustrations for the 1960 Swedish translation of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit." Some fans were critical, though, arguing that the images didn't accurately represent Tolkien's Middle-earth. One of their most convincing pieces of evidence was Jansson's portrayal of Gollum, which she turned into a massive beast. After seeing it, Tolkien realized he needed to specify that the character was "a small, slimy creature."

Grant's third-term ambitions helped create the GOP's elephant symbol

In 1874, as Republicans debated Ulysses S. Grant possibly seeking a third term, Harper's Weekly ran a Thomas Nast cartoon showing a panicked elephant labeled "The Republican Vote." The image caught on, cementing the elephant as the GOP's enduring symbol.

Washington sat for a portrait at least 12 times during his career

Those sittings were primarily for painter Charles Willson Peale. Without photographs, capturing the accurate physique of the tall, commanding Washington is difficult—but you can get a sense of his appearance with this collection of paintings over several decades.

Hughes' 'Black Nativity' reworked the Christmas story through jazz improvisation

Although he’s primarily known as a poet, Langston Hughes was also a popular playwright. One of his most inventive works is the 1961 stage show “Black Nativity,” which told the story of Christ’s birth with an all-Black cast. Hughes’ original script encourages improvisation, calling on his love of jazz, and includes 27 songs.

The 'Old Guitarist' challenged art's standards of beauty

For much of Western art history, the definition of “beauty” in art was dictated by academies rather than personal taste. Artists like Picasso challenged these standards with works considered “ugly” for discarding anatomical accuracy or linear perspective in favor of a feeling.

'Saturday Night Live' uses a tool to recreate politicians' clothes

The show's costume designer, Tom Broecker, said that the team uses a "cricket," which allows them to scan patterns from images and recreate them for cast members' costumes.

Mid-century modern graphic designers, known for their bright colors and bold lines in advertising, also found success with children's books.

A painting of coaster-enthusiast Catherine the Great visiting an ice slide

Catherine the Great, the former empress of Russia, loved riding ice slides so much she added wheels to her sleigh to continue the fun during warmer seasons. This 18th century painting depicts her being led from her palace towards the icy slopes.

See the early concept art for 'Star Wars'

George Lucas asked artist Ralph McQuarrie to create reference images to help prospective producers understand his vision for the "Star Wars" universe, and drafted early versions of Darth Vader, Chewbacca, and other characters. You can check out a gallery featuring dozens of the images below.

‘The Nutcracker’ was a flop when it premiered

Although it's now a holiday classic, Tchaikovsky's ballet "The Nutcracker" flopped when it debuted in 1892. It wasn’t until it was reimagined in 1954 as a Christmas season spectacular, aimed at families, that it became a hit.

Read about the nine depictions of Nikola Tesla in media through 2020

Portrayals include comedic takes, like John C. Reilly's performance in Comedy Central's "Drunk History" series, and more serious interpretations, like Nicholas Hoult's performance in Alfonso Gomez-Rejon’s historical drama, "The Current War."

The 19th-century painters of the Hudson River School were among the first American romantics, with portraits that displayed the natural beauty of the young country.

The Brothers Grimm were lawyers before they were storytellers, and became interested in fairy tales as they began investigating how rules and customs had been passed down through cultures.

Hear about the 250-year history of the United States Postal Service, complete with some of its strangest deliveries, important innovations, and the figures that made it an American institution.

Clever Hans was a 1900s horse that was believed to be able to solve math equations, tell time, and read and comprehend German, until a psychology student discovered how he got his answers.

The Mona Lisa's celebrity status and repeated restorations have obscured what made the painting so revolutionary for its time

See the most iconic photos from four decades of LIFE magazine

Many legends about George Washington, including his supposed wooden teeth and the story of cutting down the cherry tree, lack evidence.

In 1945, Surrealist artist Salvador Dalí and legendary animator Walt Disney began collaborating on a short film that was not completed until 2003, years after both men had died.

The concept of phantom limbs, the perception that amputated limbs are still present, dates back to a French military surgeon in the 16th century.

SpongeBob exemplifies Aristotle's philosophy for living well because he understands that happiness doesn't come from external factors like money, recognition, or power.

The first robot in literature may have been a 'mechanical man' in 1907's 'Ozma of Oz,' a book in L Frank Baum's 'Wizard of Oz' series.

The Dracula character, now seen as the vampire archetype, was inspired by a seafood-induced nightmare its creator experienced.

The identity of the Tank Man in the iconic photo from the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests remains unknown and was possibly killed.

The word 'jazz' evolved from 'jasm,' 19th-century American slang for 'energy'

Exploring the Larry Bird punch that almost changed March Madness

70 years ago today, city officials in Santa Cruz, California, banned rock 'n' roll to protect its youth from corruption after witnessing a 'provocative' concert the night before.

See how fireworks are made and learn how metals like magnesium and copper are responsible for different colors.

The first image of a black hole was captured by creating an Earth-sized virtual observatory from a network of eight radio telescopes.

Famed poet TS Eliot rejected the manuscript for George Orwell's political fable 'Animal Farm,' writing that its criticism of authoritarianism was not 'the right point of view.'

For centuries, Niagara Falls has been a magnet for daredevils seeking to conquer one of nature's most powerful wonders, with its 200-foot drop and water rushing at 32 feet per second with 280 tons of force.

See how each of the more than two million known species relates to each other—and to common ancestors—in this zoomable tree of life.

Comedy legend Catherine O'Hara, star of 'Schitt's Creek' and 'Home Alone,' quit 'Saturday Night Live' after just one week to return to her old job.

Gerrymandering works through two techniques: cracking opposing voters across districts to dilute their power, and packing them into a few to waste their votes in lopsided majorities.