Visiting Santa Claus at a shopping mall is a time-honored tradition for many families during the Christmas season. What started as a simple visit with Santa in a basic chair has now evolved into an elaborate winter wonderland, complete with twinkling lights, elves, and Mrs. Claus. This beloved custom can be traced back to the 1800s, when it first made its mark in the cathedrals of commerce—better known as department stores.
The Early Days of Santa Claus in the United States
The tradition of Christmas shopping began to take root in the United States in the 1820s and 1830s, as people began to purchase gifts, confections, and keepsakes for their loved ones. It was also during this time that Clement Clarke Moore, an Episcopal minister, penned the famous Christmas poem “An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas”—better known today as “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.” The poem’s description of Santa Claus as a “jolly old elf” with a “broad face and a little round belly” played a pivotal role in shaping the friendly image of St. Nicholas that we cherish today.
As Leigh Eric Schmidt explains in his book Consumer Rites: The Buying and Selling of American Holidays, the early portrayal of Santa was a far cry from the intimidating folk versions of St. Nicholas. Instead, Santa was depicted as a jovial, welcoming figure—someone children would feel comfortable approaching. This image of Santa, as a cheerful figure rather than a daunting one, became the version retailers embraced when introducing him into their holiday festivities.
St. Nicholas: The Catholic Saint Behind Santa Claus
Before the jolly old elf became the star of holiday shopping malls, he was St. Nicholas, a 4th-century Catholic bishop from Myra (modern-day Turkey). St. Nicholas is revered for his kindness, generosity, and miracles, and his life of service to the poor and needy has inspired centuries of stories and traditions. As the patron saint of children, sailors, and many other groups, St. Nicholas’s feast day on December 6th is still celebrated by Catholics around the world.
One of the most famous legends surrounding St. Nicholas tells of him secretly providing dowries for three poor sisters, saving them from a life of slavery or prostitution. He also became known for performing miracles and spreading the message of Christ’s love. Over time, St. Nicholas’s image evolved in different cultures, and many of the qualities associated with him—his generosity, his joy in giving, and his concern for children—were carried over into the modern figure of Santa Claus.
In the 19th century, the Catholic St. Nicholas merged with the secular figure of Santa Claus, and this blending of traditions created the beloved character that visits homes around the world on Christmas Eve. The spirit of St. Nicholas continues to live on in Santa’s gift-giving ways, reminding us of the deeper Christian virtues of charity, love, and compassion.
The First Department Store Santa
While there are several claims to the first department store Santa, most historians credit James Parkinson, a confectioner and dry goods store owner in Philadelphia, who hired a man to portray Kris Kringle in 1841. By the mid-1840s, more Philadelphia merchants had adopted the idea, and Santa Claus had officially entered American retail.
As department stores began to emerge in major cities in the 1860s and 1870s, they sought to offer customers not just goods but experiences. “Early department stores were so much about the experience of visiting the space—the theatricality of it all,” says Alessandra Wood, a design historian and author of Designed to Sell: The Evolution of Modern Merchandising and Display. “Having Santa to create lifetime memories for shoppers was a perfect fit.”
Some sources suggest that as early as 1861, Santas appeared in department stores. However, James Edgar, the owner of Edgar’s Department Store in Brockton, Massachusetts, is often credited with establishing the modern tradition of the store Santa in 1890 when he donned the costume himself to appeal to children shopping with their parents.
The Evolution of Santa’s Image
Though the Santa we know today was first widely popularized by artist Thomas Nast in the late 1800s, early department store Santas didn’t always fit the red-suited, bearded archetype. As Alexandra Lange, design critic and author of Meet Me by the Fountain: An Inside History of the Mall, explains, some of these early Santas were simply “roving greeters” in the store. Others might have been positioned in live window displays, creating an interactive experience for shoppers.
The charm of these early Santas was not just their friendly presence but also their ability to spark imagination. “Santa often sat in the toy department, visited by shoppers who could clearly point to the toy they wished Santa would bring,” Wood explains. This simple, yet profound connection between children and the beloved figure of Santa became one of retail’s most cherished experiences.
A Growing Tradition: Santa, Parades, and “Santa Schools”
By the early 20th century, the tradition of the department store Santa became firmly entrenched. Stores like Gimbel’s in Philadelphia, Macy’s in New York, and Hudson’s in Detroit began hosting elaborate holiday parades, often with Santa as the star attraction.
It was also during this period that the role of Santa became more standardized, thanks to Santa “schools” that taught aspiring Kris Kringles the proper way to dress, interact with children, and even apply makeup. The Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School, founded in 1937, played a major role in this effort, ensuring that Santa’s image remained consistent across stores.
The Introduction of Santa Photos
The tradition of taking a photograph with Santa, which is now a staple of many holiday visits, was not part of the early Santa rituals. According to Alexandra Lange, photography was still relatively rare and expensive, so it wasn’t a feature of early Santa visits. However, this began to change in 1943 when photographer Art French, working for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, captured a series of photos of children meeting Santa outside a department store. The success of these photographs led French to start selling Santa photos to parents, and the tradition took off from there.
Santa’s Enduring Legacy in Retail
The cultural connection between Santa Claus and retail solidified in 1947 with the release of the film Miracle on 34th Street, which Wood says “really solidified the relationship between Santa and retail within popular culture.” The postwar era also saw the rise of suburban shopping malls, where Santa’s “Winter Wonderland” and “Santa’s Workshop” became fixtures in central mall courts, offering not just a chance to meet Santa, but an immersive holiday experience for families.
In the words of Leigh Eric Schmidt, the evolution of Santa Claus in department stores and malls reflects a deeper cultural truth: “The tradition of visiting Santa at the store is more than just a commercial venture—it’s about creating lasting memories and experiencing the joy of the season.”
As Catholic families, we can appreciate the beauty of this tradition, not only as a cherished part of holiday celebrations but also as an opportunity to reflect on the true spirit of Christmas. Just as Santa’s image has evolved to reflect cultural shifts, so too can our hearts grow in understanding the love and joy that the Christ child brings to all the world. May our visits to Santa Claus remind us of the great gift of the Incarnation, and may we, too, share the joy of the season with others.
