Santa’s Coup: How the American Santa Claus made himself at home in France

We think we know him.

We picture him sliding down chimneys since time immemorial, a timeless, universal figure shared by all cultures.

Except… he isn’t.

Not in France, anyway.

In this 10,000-word historical investigation, French writer Pierre uncovers the unbelievable (but completely factual) story of how Santa Claus — yes, the American one in red — arrived in post-war France, confused everyone, enraged quite a few priests, charmed millions of children… and quietly rewired the entire French Christmas tradition in less than a decade.

From a pre-war France filled with dozens of regional gift-bringers (Saint Nicolas in Alsace and Lorraine, the Christkindel, the Petit Jésus, Père Chalande, Père Janvier, Olentzero…), to the emotional earthquake of Petit Papa Noël, to the Marshall Plan and the rise of department-store culture, to the infamous 1951 “Santa execution” in Dijon — this investigation dismantles every assumption about the French Christmas we think we inherited.

Because behind today’s cosy festive rituals lies a story of war, reconstruction, religion, identity, marketing… and one very determined man in a bright red coat.

🎅 Inside this cultural deep dive:

– How France once had several Christmas gift-bringers — and why none of them looked like Santa

– Why Alsace-Lorraine refused to abandon Saint Nicolas (and still won’t)

– How the Marshall Plan accidentally imported American Christmas imagery

– The emotional power of Petit Papa Noël — and how it softened a wounded nation

– How department stores turned Santa into a national icon

– The 1951 Dijon scandal: when priests publicly hanged and burned Santa

– Why the Church’s backlash only made Santa stronger

– What France lost… and what it gained

– And why Alsatians and Lorrains still enjoy two rounds of gifts every December

More than a Christmas story, this is a journey through French identity — a tale of cultural collision, reinvention, regional pride and the strange ways a nation chooses its traditions.

📬 Originally published on Substack for paying readers, this exclusive essay is now available as a beautifully formatted, downloadable PDF for just £3 (approx. $4 USD) — a pocket-sized ticket to the truth behind France’s most unexpected Christmas revolution.