The Åland Islands – The True Origins of Santa Claus
The cheerful, red-suited Santa Claus we know today – with his snowy beard, rosy cheeks and twinkling eyes – may have become a global icon through Coca-Cola’s Christmas campaigns, but few people know that his story leads back to the Åland archipelago.
It was artist Haddon Sundblom, whose family came from the island municipality of Föglö in the Åland archipelago, who painted the first Coca-Cola Santa in 1931. His warm and good-natured depiction of Father Christmas went on to define the modern image of Santa around the world.
An Åland-Inspired Christmas Spirit
Haddon himself was born in the United States, where his father had emigrated with his Swedish wife. Still, one can imagine that the spirit of Åland’s Christmas traditions somehow travelled with the family — perhaps inspiring the artist’s famous, joy-filled Santa.
In Åland, Christmas has long been a cherished celebration. The season begins early with “Lillajul” — or Little Christmas — celebrated on the Saturday before the first Advent. It’s a cosy prelude to Christmas, complete with a small tree, simple gifts, and a scaled-down festive meal.
From that moment, December on Åland is full of seasonal charm: Christmas markets, concerts, and buffet dinners light up the islands. On Christmas Eve, after the traditional declaration of Christmas peace, families gather to share food, laughter — and welcome the local Santa, who looks remarkably like the one Haddon painted for Coca-Cola.
A Lasting Legacy
Over the years, Ålanders have celebrated their connection to Haddon Sundblom and his beloved creation. He painted more than 40 versions of Santa Claus for Coca-Cola between 1931 and 1964, and his work has been featured on Åland stamps as well as in exhibitions at the Åland Museum.
Even today, the story continues to travel. When Coca-Cola’s famous Christmas truck made a special visit to Mariehamn to honour Santa’s Åland roots, it was a reminder that this tiny island group in the Baltic Sea helped shape one of the world’s most enduring characters.
Once the Coca-Cola Christmas truck arrived to Åland, the truck travelled around the island, adorned with Christmas lights and Haddon’s jolly Santa Claus painted on its red trailer – a Santa who, it seemed, was especially happy to see the beautiful archipelago landscape!
