The Origins of Santa's Traditions: 'Ho Ho Ho', Chimneys, and Coal Explained

Santa Claus has some weird habits. He breaks into houses through chimneys. He yells "ho ho ho" constantly. He gives coal to bad kids. Where did all this come from?

Why Does Santa Say "Ho Ho Ho"?

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a double or triple "ho" was used for laughter possibly as far back as the late 12th century. A single "ho" could mean surprise, triumph, or taunting.

There's something pretty sneaky about breaking into houses undetected at night. Getting away with it probably merits a triumphant "ho" or three.

In 1877, newspapers printed a story where a kid sticks a steel trap down his stocking hoping to catch Santa. "Ho! ho! ho! We'll soon know if a body may see him," he says. He catches his grandfather instead. Classic.

Songs helped turn it into Santa's thing. There was this 1867 Kris Kringle hymn where you'd just sing "ho" like ten times in a row.

Then there's "Up on the Housetop," published in 1866. Originally went "O! O! O! Who wouldn't go." Somewhere along the way, songbooks started swapping those o's for hos. By the time Gene Autry recorded his version in 1953, it was straight-up called "Up on the House Top (Ho! Ho! Ho!)."

It took a while for "ho ho ho" to completely replace "ha ha ha" though. Disney's 1932 Santa's Workshop still has Santa going "Ha! Ha! Ha!" instead.

Then in the early '60s, Green Giant was making a jingle for the Jolly Green Giant. They needed something after the word "jolly," so they had a vocalist boom out a "ho ho ho." Basically stole it straight from Santa. Nobody really cared.

Ask any kid who says "ho ho ho" and they'll tell you it's Santa. He won.

Why Does Santa Come Down the Chimney?

Washington Irving first wrote about Santa sliding down chimneys in 1812. But magical visitors were using fireplaces way before that.

Throughout European folklore, fireplaces were the spot where the natural and supernatural worlds met. Brownies came through chimneys to help with housework. Fairies flew down in fiery form to drop off money. Italy's La Befana delivered gifts before Epiphany, leaving stuff in shoes by the fireplace.

Santa's namesake is St. Nicholas, the 4th-century Bishop of Myra. Most famous story: he anonymously drops off bags of gold to a poor family. Early versions have him tossing the money through a window—makes sense since chimneys weren't a thing yet. But later versions switch it to him dropping gold down the chimney.

By the 16th century, Dutch kids would leave their shoes on the hearth the night before the Feast of St. Nicholas. Wake up the next morning and boom—shoes filled with candy that supposedly came down the chimney overnight.

Irving's the one who really sparked American interest in St. Nicholas. In his 1812 Knickerbocker's History of New York, he's got the first known reference to St. Nicholas "rattl[ing] down the chimney" himself.

"'Twas the Night Before Christmas" came out in 1823 and that's what really sold everyone on the idea. Santa tumbling down the chimney "with a bound." Thomas Nast drew pictures of this plump, bearded guy and that sealed the image.

But what about homes without chimneys? As stoves started replacing fireplaces, people figured Santa squeezed down the stove pipe instead. By 1857, The New York Times was mentioning this like it was just common knowledge.

Sounds ridiculous—this portly guy stuffing himself into a six-inch pipe. But mid-19th century Santa was imagined as tiny. "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" calls him "a jolly old elf" with a "miniature sleigh" and "eight tiny reindeer." A miniature Santa fitting down a stove pipe? Not so unimaginable.

Why Does Santa Give Coal to Bad Kids?

There's no specific legend that explains the coal thing. Mostly it's just convenience.

All these gift-giving figures—St. Nicholas, Sinterklaas, La Befana—they all enter through the fireplace and leave presents in stockings or shoes. So, when they come across a kid who's been terrible, they need to leave something disappointing instead of a gift. And hey, there's coal sitting right there in the fireplace. Easy concept.

Coal-fired fireplaces were everywhere during the 19th and early 20th centuries when American Santa mythology was getting formed. The coal was literally right there.

Other gift-givers mixed it up more. They'd leave bundles of twigs, bags of salt, garlic, onions. Santa just stuck with coal because it worked and he didn't have to carry extra stuff around.

The Reality

So Santa's weird habits aren't random. They're centuries of folklore and people taking the easy route.

The Jolly Green Giant may have stole the "ho ho ho" in the '60s, but Santa still owns Christmas. And now you know why he does all this stuff.

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