From a 4th-century Anatolian bishop to a jolly elf in a fur-trimmed suit, the personage known as Santa Claus has evolved over time, an amalgam of folk and religious traditions from pre-modern pagan influences to veneration of saints, cemented into popular culture in the early part of the 20th century by Clement Clarke Moore, Thomas Nast, and Madison Avenue.
Although typically portrayed as joyous and kindly, might there be a darker side to Old St. Nick? After all, we are talking about a supernatural sprite that scries your every thought all year, before sneaking into your home in the dark of night to met out rewards and punishments. Kind of gives a shivery new meaning to “secret Santa,” kittens. Whether Kris Kringle is saintly or sinister may remain to be seen, darlings, but these thirty-one creepy vintage Santas will have visions far less pleasant than sugar plums dancing in your head tonight!
For more scary Santas, visit Petit Petit Gamin, The Chobble, and Creepy Santa Photos.
Related Posts:
– Then Let Us Go and Be Terrible: A Krampus Christmas
– Happy Thanksgiving: 13 Creepy Vintage Floats from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
– Hallowe’en Greetings: 77 Vintage Halloween Postcards
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The Year of Halloween 
And every year, people say to me, “Oh, it must be SO awful for you, not having a Xmas!” Thanks, sweetie, for reminding me why not celebrating Xmas is a good thing for me! LOL 🙂
(Although I have to admit to some serious Krampus-envy this time of year!)
People who think it’s awful must not understand the concept of eight days worth of gifts. 🙂
They’re more to be pitied than censured, sweetie. 😉
Yikes! No wonder so many kids are afraid of Santa!
I certainly wouldn’t want to sit on any of these laps either! 😉
Seriously it looks like a few of those guys literally peeled Santa’s face off to make a Santa mask… **shivers**
Come on, Santa only was using it one night a year!
I think some of these Santas may have had more than one glass of sherry
“these Santas may have had more than one glass of
sherrysouls”There, fixed that for you. 😉