Why Are Red And Green The Colors Of Christmas?

 

Why Are Red And Green The Colors Of Christmas?

Globally, red and green are famously the colors that represent Christmas.

Whenever we see these two colors together we automatically associate it with the holidays.

But why is it just these two colors and where did the association come from?

Although no one knows the origins of red and green at Christmas for certain, there are many theories.

In this article, we will look at the possible reasons why these became the colors of the season.

Christmas is the time of year where we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, but over the decades it has become more about exchanging gifts and spending time with our family and friends.

There are simple associations that make us think of these colors, Santa’s suit is red and a Christmas tree is green.

But the use of these two colors stems back further.

In Christianity, it is taught that the red represents the blood of Jesus when he was crucified, and the green represents the eternal life of Jesus like an evergreen tree.

Some people claim it comes from holly bushes, with their red berries and dark green leaves as they thrive at that time of year.

Holly bushes are used to make wreaths that we hang on our front doors during the holiday season so they are a popular image at this time of year.

There are many links and stories that are claimed to be the reason for the color choices at Christmas.

Some people believe that the colors have come from more commercial influences.

Although red has been a prominent color used at Christmas, it is said that Coca-Cola was the one who made it a dominant color.

In 1931 Coca-Cola advertisements became more popular in magazines, especially when approaching the holidays.

One of the first advertisements was commissioned to illustrator Haddon Sundblom, with the instructions of creating an advertisement with Santa Claus drinking Coca-Cola.

Sundblom wanted to create an image of the real Santa, rather than of someone dressed as Santa.

This was a turning point in history because the illustration of Santa was so lifelike that it became the image representation of the real Father Christmas.

Santa wore red and from then on, Coca-Cola has continued to advertise with its red branding and hence becoming an associated color of Christmas.