The History of the Santa Claus/Father Christmas Beard
By Jack Shaw (Guest Post) | Last updated 22nd December 2023
During the holiday season, you’ll spot a lot more red, green and white when walking down the street. Inside shopping centres, you’ll likely see men in red and white suits donning large beards to mimic Santa Claus. This jolly man is one of the iconic symbols of Christmas.
Just seeing a man with a big white beard makes you think of Santa Claus — although some may picture Dumbledore or Gandalf the White. So why does Santa Claus have a bushy beard?
This festive icon has a long history dating back nearly 2,000 years. He hasn’t always had the iconic look you may see in modern media. Let’s look at the history of Santa Claus and his Father Christmas beard. Additionally, we’ll discuss how you can recreate this iconic facial hair for yourself.
History of Santa Claus and His Beard
See page for author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Fortunately, you don’t have to lie to children asking about Santa Claus. He was a real person in 4th-century Turkey. Saint Nicholas was a Christian bishop who lived in the Roman Empire. Despite his association with Christmas, Saint Nicholas was only a boat ride away from Cyprus, a popular summer holiday spot!
Saint Nicholas became famous for assisting those in impoverished situations. His heroics and miracles earned him the nickname Nicholas the Wonderworker. Nicholas lived to be 73, but the location of his remains is uncertain to experts.
Saint Nicholas left a legacy and inspired families to give gifts to their children. This trend lasted throughout the first millennium and into the Middle Ages.
Father Christmas comes into play once you get to the Renaissance. In the 16th century, Englanders began celebrating the feast of Saint Nicholas on Christmas Day, thus merging the holidays.
Saint Nicholas is famous worldwide through different names and variations of his legacy. For example, people in the Netherlands celebrate Sinterklaas, a Christmas figure based on Saint Nicholas, instead of Santa Claus.
Growing the Famous Christmas Beard
There are a few requirements for drawing a picture of Santa Claus. You can’t draw him without his iconic red and white suit and big beard! So, where does his facial hair come from?
For centuries, artists have depicted Santa Claus with a sizable beard. The primary reason for his facial hair goes back to Saint Nicholas’ Roman Empire origins.
If you were a man living in 300s Rome, you likely donned a large beard. Many men of faith during this era wore one to symbolise their religion. While opinions on beards have fluctuated throughout history, many religions have required or heavily encouraged their male members to wear beards to honour God.
Based on Saint Nicholas, this Christmas figure has had a beard for a long time. However, it’s worth asking where the current Santa Claus’s gigantic, well-groomed white beard comes from. Our modern view of Santa Claus is from Thomas Nast, who drew Santa Claus for the 1862 Christmas edition of Harper’s Weekly.
Nast, a famous editorial cartoonist, drew Santa Claus while imagining Saint Nicholas, an important figure in his native Germany. He also used German depictions of elves, giving Santa Claus his iconic modern look with a large white beard.
Nast used Santa Claus as a positive symbol of Christmas during the troubles of the American Civil War. Books and companies soon began using Nast’s depiction of Santa Claus to commercialise Christmas and make it an official holiday.
How Can You Grow a Santa Beard?
Facial hair is a point of pride for many men, and growing a Santa Claus Beard is especially empowering. How can you grow one and give the Santas in your area a run for their money? Here are five tips for donning a Santa Claus beard this winter.
1. Have Patience
The first thing you’ll need is patience. Santa Claus’ beard is quite long, measuring at least 15cm and often approaching 30cm. Unfortunately, you probably won’t grow this beard in a few days or weeks — several months is more realistic to grow a beard of this size.
The winter months are precarious for your beard because you want to grow it long but don’t want it to become brittle. When the temperatures dip, using beard moisturiser is essential. Our Imperial Master Beard Oil is terrific for winter because of its peppermint, frankincense and lemongrass aromas.
You could skip the process and buy a Santa Claus beard online, but where’s the fun in that? Trust the process and grow your beard.
2. Battle Wintry Conditions
Santa Claus beards are — unsurprisingly — most popular in the winter. Cold weather is an apt time to grow out your facial hair because your beard provides warmth and protection.
Winter is unfortunately a common time for cold stress. You may experience cold stress through hypothermia, which can occur in temperatures as high as 50 degrees Fahrenheit or 10 degrees Celsius. Your beard becomes the first line of defence against dry air and freezing temperatures, but with that comes extra upkeep to keep it healthy.
In addition to beard products, you should avoid using hot water on your beard because it’ll dry your facial hair out quickly. In fact, you should reduce your beard washing to just a couple of times weekly to protect your beard’s natural oils.
3. Eat a Healthy Diet
Santa Claus has a large beard due to artist depictions and a little bit of magic over the years. His chocolate chip cookies and milk diet shouldn’t lead to a healthy beard, but he manages anyway. Imagine what his beard would look like if he ate a few carrots with Rudolph.
In all seriousness, you can help your Santa Claus beard by eating a healthy diet. Your beard-growing meals should prioritise protein because it supports your body’s keratin production all year — not just in the winter.
Keratin is a protein in your hair and other parts of the integumentary system, so eating a big piece of steak or fish for dinner can do wonders for your beard. If you don’t consume animal products, you can increase your protein intake through soybeans, lentils, beans, quinoa and other protein-packed vegan foods.
4. Choose a Safe Beard Dye
Santa Claus typically has a beard as white as snow. Growing a replicate beard just isn’t the same if your facial hair is jet black, brown or even salt-and-pepper! Once your beard has grown long enough to satisfy St. Nick, consider a beard dye to make it as authentic as possible.
Beard dyes are popular for guys starting to grey and wanting their colour back. However, you can go in the opposite direction and intentionally make your beard white for the holiday. Researching beard dyes beforehand is critical because some may irritate your skin or deliver an uneven finish. If necessary, consult a dermatologist about using beard dye to ensure your safety.
5. Keep It Groomed
Santa Claus’ beard almost always looks well-groomed in pictures. How does he maintain his beard despite travelling the entire world in one night? His top-notch maintenance raises the standards for the rest of us who want to grow facial hair like him.
While Santa Claus has a leg up, we can grow and keep our beards as well-groomed as his. Large beards need an ox horn wide-tooth beard comb because it redistributes your beard’s oils and keeps it looking nice.
Another part of Santa Claus’ beard maintenance is the occasional trim. You want a long beard, but you’ll need to cut the split ends about once a month. Additionally, you can help yourself by using shaping tools to mimic Santa's nice, round beard.
What Does a Father Christmas Beard Represent?
Jonathan Meath, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
Growing a Christmas beard isn’t just for the office holiday party. This majestic facial hair has significant meaning, considering its history dating back nearly 2,000 years. Here’s what a Santa Claus beard represents in culture.
Wisdom
For thousands of years, people have viewed beards as symbols of wisdom. Santa Claus is among the world’s most intelligent people if he can deliver presents to children on every continent in one night.
Age
A long, white beard comes more naturally if you’re an older gentleman. Santa Claus’ white beard symbolises age along with his wisdom. Can you imagine what he would look like without facial hair? He’d just be a regular guy you’d see at the pub. However, the beard is part of his age and mystique.
Charm
Have you ever seen a Santa Claus with a frown on his face? The white beard is part of his charm and approachable demeanour. Children worldwide run to Santa Claus when they see him in shopping centres, restaurants or at the North Pole. Santa’s beard is critical to his jolly persona. You need to have a particular type of personality to emulate Santa, and the beard is necessary to bring the charm.
Bringing a Bearded Christmas Spirit This Winter
Alfred Henry Forrester, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Christmastime brings to mind presents, reindeer, hot cocoa and Santa Claus. This jolly man in a red suit has been integral to the holiday for centuries. In fact, his origins date back to the Roman Empire — well before we had GPS technology to track his location on Christmas Eve.
Santa Claus has an iconic look you’d recognise anywhere, and part of his mystique comes from his beard. While Santa Claus has had a beard for over a thousand years, our modern view of him originates about 160 years ago.
Would you ever grow a Santa Claus beard? Use our tips to ensure you have a full and healthy beard to impress your family and friends for the holidays.
Author Bio
Jack Shaw is a writer, editor and grooming enthusiast. His explorations of men’s health, fitness and fashion can all be found on Modded, a men’s lifestyle publication on which he serves as the senior writer.
