# Why is Santa fat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 3, 2013, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-santa-fat/675326 "2013-12-03T00:07:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-santa-fat/675326/1 "2013-12-03T00:07:06Z")
And no, I don’t mean “because he ate too many cookies on Christmas eve” or “he never gets exercise.” 🙂 I mean, why is Santa Claus traditionally porrtrayed as being fat? ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-santa-fat/675326/2 "2013-12-03T00:09:22Z")
For the same reason the Ghost of Christmas Future is, it denotes prosperity. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-santa-fat/675326/3 "2013-12-03T00:14:50Z")
The Ghost of Christmas\* Present.\* ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-santa-fat/675326/4 "2013-12-03T00:17:34Z")
Because tradition says that fat people are jolly. Ho Ho Ho. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-santa-fat/675326/5 "2013-12-03T00:24:49Z")
Thank Coke. ETA: [linky](http://qz.com/39029/how-coca-cola-and-others-made-santa-fat-red-and-bearded/) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-santa-fat/675326/6 "2013-12-03T00:51:04Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Thank Coke. And, thank Clement Moore. > [@Clement Moore](#): > > He had a broad face and a little **round belly** , > That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly. > He was **chubby** and **plump** , a right jolly old elf, > And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-santa-fat/675326/7 "2013-12-03T00:52:12Z")
Fat used to mean healthy, strong and happy people. It wasn’t that long ago when concerned parents nagged their kids to eat, eat, eat! ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-santa-fat/675326/8 "2013-12-03T01:30:47Z")
Father Christmas and St. Nicholas are traditionally pictured as being tall and thin. ---
**Author:** ![RearEchelon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@RearEchelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RearEchelon)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-santa-fat/675326/9 "2013-12-03T03:59:12Z")
Hell, the man only works one night a year… ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-santa-fat/675326/10 "2013-12-03T04:07:50Z")
to combat fat shaming and thin privilege why do you have a problem with santa being fat? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-santa-fat/675326/11 "2013-12-03T06:16:58Z")
The ancient peoples knew gaining weight gives a person a survival edge during periods of famine. Thats one reason people tried to gain extra weight when food was plentiful. I recall seeing this happen on the 2nd season of Survivor. They cast these super fit, low body fat people. Several of them were runners. Within three or four weeks they all looked sick and under weight. By the end of the season the finalists were all emaciated. The winner Tina Wesson was almost skeletal. Imagine if these people had to live through a multi-year famine. They would have been dead by the first year. Being thin and fit is only smart if the food supply is consistent year after year. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-santa-fat/675326/12 "2013-12-03T13:13:59Z")
Clement C. Moore, Coca-Cola AND [Thomas Nast](http://www.google.com/imgres?sa=X&biw=1080&bih=697&tbm=isch&tbnid=oSsvZ-sUwxKnSM:&imgrefurl=http://www.paperdroids.com/2012/12/20/10-weird-christmas-traditions-and-where-they-came-from/&docid=TZ_ovWPyymcNtM&imgurl=http://www.paperdroids.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/The_Coming_of_Santa_Claus_Thomas_Nast_1872.jpg&w=2328&h=1535&ei=69idUtSbK9TukQek9IGoDA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=601&vpy=142&dur=31&hovh=182&hovw=277&tx=149&ty=108&page=1&tbnh=135&tbnw=201&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0,i:103) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-santa-fat/675326/13 "2013-12-03T13:59:46Z")
Santa is fat because he’s jolly. And vice versa. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-santa-fat/675326/14 "2013-12-03T14:26:42Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The ancient peoples knew gaining weight gives a person a survival edge during periods of famine. Thats one reason people tried to gain extra weight when food was plentiful. > > I recall seeing this happen on the 2nd season of Survivor. They cast these super fit, low body fat people. Several of them were runners. Within three or four weeks they all looked sick and under weight. By the end of the season the finalists were all emaciated. The winner Tina Wesson was almost skeletal. Imagine if these people had to live through a multi-year famine. They would have been dead by the first year. > > Being thin and fit is only smart if the food supply is consistent year after year. Marge Simpson: Con: you’re endangering your health. Homer Simpson: Pro: I’m drought and famine resistant. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-santa-fat/675326/15 "2013-12-03T15:37:03Z")
Exactly, when food was expensive and scarce, being fat was a sign of prosperity and success, essentially a prestige item. So a fat St. Nick was a big cheese (so to speak), someone important and respected. Poor people were thin people, because they could not afford enough food to get fat. Just as, until Coco Chanel “invented” the leisure tan, it was a prestige and class indicator in Europe to be fishbelly white rather than farmer-tan brown. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-santa-fat/675326/16 "2013-12-03T16:36:16Z")
Maybe if he took the stairs more often, instead of the chimney. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-santa-fat/675326/17 "2013-12-03T17:55:47Z")
Because he only comes once a year. Alternate joke: Why is Santa so frustrated? Because he only comes down the chimney. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![James\_Toothpaste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e56c9b/32.png) [@James\_Toothpaste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/James_Toothpaste)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-santa-fat/675326/18 "2013-12-03T21:59:02Z")
Because fat people are sexy! ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-santa-fat/675326/19 "2013-12-03T22:08:59Z")
Insulation - it’s REALLY cold at the North Pole. ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-santa-fat/675326/20 "2013-12-03T22:24:42Z")
I don’t think he needs a reason but since you are asking, there is nothing but fattening seal meat and candy canes to eat at the pole. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-santa-fat/675326.md?page=2)