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Posted on December 28, 2008 by Jessica Vandelay | Posted under Entrepreneurislism
Santa Claus Magazine Covers
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By 1863, Santa Claus made his first magazine appearance in the political magazine Harper's Weekly. Influential political cartoonist Thomas Nast's drew Santa as the fat, jolly, bearded, and red-suited figure that still holds today. From the 1860s to the '80s, he drew a special cartoon every year for the Christmas edition of Harper's Weekly, which was the first American magazine to achieve national circulation. The magazine was a political magazine published from 1857-1916 by Harper & Brothers in New York City. The magazine ran a variety of articles on subjects such as foreign and domestic news, humor, essays and fiction. Nast's first depiction of Santa appeared in the magazine at the personal request of President Abraham Lincoln, to show Santa visiting U.S. troops in the war zone. Nast established Santa's North Pole address, along with the army of elves making toys, in his 1885 cartoon. At the same time Nast's Santa Claus appeared was St. Nicholas magazine, which was named after Santa, was published by Scribner's from 1873 to 1939. In 1939, a copywriter for Montgomery Ward added Rudolph to the reindeer pack. In 1889, the poet Katherine Lee Bates, created Mrs. Claus, Santa's wife in “Goody Santa Claus on a Sleigh Ride." Throughout the 19th century Santa was both beloved and respected. In 1897 a little girl named Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the New York Sun expressing her friends' skepticism of Santa's existence. The Sun replied in one of the most famous editorials in American history: "Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. ... Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist." In 1931 the Coca-Cola Company launched its now annual Santa-themed advertising campaign, in an effort to boost mid-winter soft drink sales. Commercial cartoonist Haddon Sundblom created Coca-Cola's version of Santa. Sundblom's Santa established wore a red suit and drank from a green Coca-Cola bottle. By the mid-20th century magazine publishers determined magazine covers as the most important aspect of a magazine. Many great illustrators created now legendary Christmas-themed magazine covers that depicted Santa Claus, Christmas trees, gift-giving, Christmas shopping, the anticipation of Christmas, gift-receiving and other Christmas-related themes. Some of the greatest illustrators of this era are Neysa McMein, Helen Dryden, John Falter, Herbert Paus, Dynevor Rhys, Norman Rockwell, Frank Schoonover, Maginel Barney, J.C. Leyendecker, James Montogomery Flagg and Jessie Willcox Smith. Throughout the 20th century and today Santa Claus remains a popular magazine cover subject for all kinds of magazines, including home magazines, kids magazines and food magazines. About The Author: For more on holiday magazines, visit www.magazines.com Jessica Vandelay is a freelance writer in New York City. |
Tags: CHRISTMAS GIFTS, MAGAZINE, HOLIDAY GIFTS, CHEAP GIFTS, GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS, DISCOUNT MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS, SANTA CLAUS, KIDS, CHILDREN, MAGAZINES
