As for why Coca Cola made their Santa red, I guess the Scandinavian influence is also worth keeping in mind.
The Norwegian version of Santa is known as Julenissen - literally the Yulenisse - with the continental European stories of Saint Nicholas having been merged with our own traditional nisse (Scandie gnome) living in the barn (fjøsnisse). Nisses, like gnomes, traditionally wear red hats.
Where I celebrated Christmas on Tuesday, we were visited by a version of the fjøsnisse rather than coca cola santa. He told the kids they are coordinating with the Christmas nisse, as it gets busy on the north pole (there is, of course, only one Christmas nisse, but a bunch of fjøsnisser). But of course a knitted red hat was still in place. 🎅
This is a super interesting comment, thanks!
As for why Coca Cola made their Santa red, I guess the Scandinavian influence is also worth keeping in mind.
The Norwegian version of Santa is known as Julenissen - literally the Yule nisse - with the continental European stories of Saint Nicholas having been merged with our own traditional nisse (Scandie gnome) living in the barn (fjøsnisse). Nisses, like gnomes, traditionally wear red hats.
Where I celebrated Christmas on Tuesday, we were visited by a version of the fjøsnisse rather than coca cola santa. He told the kids they are coordinating with the Christmas nisse, as it gets busy on the north pole (there is, of course, only one Christmas nisse, but a bunch of fjøsnisser). But of course a knitted red hat was still in place. 🎅