Chicago, Illinois
1899 – 1976

International Santa Claus Hall of Fame – December 2014

When the world closes its eyes and pictures Santa Claus, rosy-cheeked, generously built, dressed in red velvet trimmed with white fur, it is picturing Haddon Sundblom’s Santa.

The son of Scandinavian immigrants and a graduate of the American Academy of Art, Haddon Hubbard “Sunny” Sundblom had already established himself as a creative force in American illustration when, in 1931, Coca-Cola commissioned him to create a Santa who was wholesome, warm, and unmistakably real.

Drawing inspiration from Clement Clarke Moore’s beloved poem “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” Sundblom painted a Santa who radiated the warmth of a beloved grandfather. He modeled the face after a friend, retired salesman Lou Prentiss,  and after Prentiss passed away, he used his own reflection as his reference.

The paintings were an instant hit, offering joy and optimism to a Depression-era America. Over 33 years, Sundblom’s Santa appeared in magazines, on billboards, posters, and store displays, and the original oils have since been exhibited at some of the world’s most celebrated museums. Beyond Santa, he also created Coca-Cola’s Sprite Boy character and updated the iconic Quaker Oats man.

For Santa portrayers the world over, Sundblom’s warm, larger-than-life Saint Nick remains the gold standard. He did not merely illustrate Christmas, he defined it.