The Story of How Santa Went from a Jolly Pipe-Smoking Saint to a Soda-Loving Softie.
For centuries, Santa Claus was often depicted cheerfully puffing on his pipe while busy with Christmas preparations. He usually looked jovial, with a rosy glow on his cheeks more often than not.
He seemed to favor curved or semi-curved pipes, though he’s been seen with many styles over the years.
Santa started his journey as a bishop in Patara, in what is now Turkey, around the 4th century. Back then, he was known as Saint Nicholas, a pious man renowned for his generosity.
Santa’s Favorite Tobacco
It’s easy to imagine him filling his pipe with Izmir or another dark oriental tobacco grown in the region.
Perhaps it was spiritual contemplation that led him to leave the bishopric, move to the North Pole, and dedicate himself full-time to spreading joy with his generosity.
In 1881, he was immortalized in a classic image, happily puffing on a churchwarden pipe while on his way to deliver Christmas gifts. That may well have been when he had the most fun.
Whether it was a lapse in judgment or simply getting swept up in the spirit of the roaring 1920s is hard to say, but he can’t blame youthful recklessness for briefly taking up cigarette smoking during that era.
Order was eventually restored, and we once again saw Santa good-naturedly puffing on his pipe. As tradition demands—at least in Sweden—he would also graciously accept a shot of schnapps when delivering gifts.
In the 1930s, Coca-Cola wooed him over. It was no longer considered appropriate for him to drink anything other than a certain fizzy soda or to smoke.
Just over a decade ago, Santa definitively stubbed out his last smoke. Canadian entrepreneur, anti-smoking advocate, and publisher Pamela McColl released a smoke-free version of the classic ’Twas the Night Before Christmas. The New York Post and Vanity Fair were the first to report the news, which quickly spread across global media.
About the Fine Pleasure of Pipe Smoking 