Photos: The Scariest Santas You'll Ever See
Browse our selected illustrations of some of the strangest and creepiest Santa Clauses ever put down on paper and then vote for your favorite
- By Megan Gambino
- Photo Research by Madeline Kelty
- Smithsonian.com, December 20, 2011
(Image by PoodlesRock/Corbis)
It may seem odd that Santa is smoking and touching his nose in this illustration from an 1888 version of Clement Clarke Moore’s “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” later called “The Night Before Christmas.” But the verses of Moore’s poem, first published in 1822, mention both habits. “The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,” writes Moore. In a later stanza, he adds, “And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!”
Moore borrowed these traits from an earlier description. Washington Irving wrote about St. Nicholas smoking a clay pipe and “laying his finger beside his nose” to magically disappear in A History of New York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty in 1809.
Would you have nightmares if he fell down your chimney? Vote for this scary Santa!
Comments (7)
The "two young monkeys" aren't monkeys - they're chimpanzees, which are apes.
Posted by Mike Snider on January 26,2012 | 08:36 AM
Rodin's the "Thinker Santa" watching the european part of the globe burning; was depicting the coming of Hitler's Nazis and WWII. Now that would be my vote for "Scariest Santa."
Posted by Dann Sears on January 12,2012 | 11:33 PM
Would Santa really whip his poor reindeer? eeew, Cruelty-to-Animals-Santa!
Posted by Diana on December 26,2011 | 06:20 PM
I love this. It's beautiful. I'd frame it and hang it up in my house! The black cat seals the deal. Yep. It gets my vote.
Posted by Tamalyn Kralman on December 26,2011 | 10:34 AM
Santa does not seem to be up to any good
Posted by John Elkan on December 22,2011 | 09:33 PM
Santa appears as a circus clown holding an olive branch of peace. Clearly a man to like. Lots of fun in that smile.
Posted by Jim Neubauer on December 22,2011 | 07:58 PM
If this guy showed up at my front door it would creep me out.
Posted by Joel Henderson on December 22,2011 | 04:27 PM