Where did "Santa hats" come from?


Even though the holidays have ended, there is still room for a holiday-themed topic.
That classic floppy red hat with a white trim and a pom-pom remind us of Santa Claus. But where did this hat come from? Why does Santa wear this hat?

Santa was once just St. Nicholas, a religious saint. St. Nicholas was depicted as a thin old man who had a thing for giving gifts away, unfortunately, this didn't appeal to children very much.


Santa's cap resembles the nightcaps of the Victorian era, 18-19th century. These nightcaps were usually worn by men to their sleep along with pyjamas. During the Victorian era, there was no heating other than the fireplace, there was a serious concern for freezing in bed during the winter. nightcaps were designed so that the long pointy bit with the pom-pom could wrap around the neck and keep the head warm at the same time.

But why does Santa wear this hat if it was designed as sleepwear? Wouldn't it be odd for an old man in pyjamas to be wandering around in people's houses? These nightcaps were not usually worn outside of the home. Symbolically, every home is Santa's home, we prepare meals for him in the form of milk and cookies. Which gives him the right to any home he finds homely.

In 1863, Thomas Nast, a cartoonist, was asked to draw Santa Claus. Nast's image created all the stereotypes associated with the big man, plump, jolly and decked out in his famous red suit. Coca-cola's depiction of Santa in their advertisements immortalized the image forever. Today, our image of Santa is the standard when compared to any other images from other cultures.

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