Santa Claus has been an undeniable icon for the festive winter season and Christmas holiday for at least a century in the Western world. Specifics of his representation have been tweaked over the years, but for the most part he's seen as a portly white man wearing red winter gear and sporting a large beard. Is it time that changes? Some think so.
According to a new survey from GraphicSprings, looking to re-brand and modernize Father Christmas, people across the United States and United Kingdom might want to switch things up. About 18.64% of people from the United States voted to make him gender neutral and 10.58% voted to see Santa interpreted as a woman. Voters across the pond had a similar outlook with 10.62% voting for a female Santa and 15.67% looking for a gender-neutral interpretation.
In the grand scheme of things, the majority of surveyees did actually vote to uphold Santa's traditional gender identity. 73.71% of United Kingdom voters and 70.79% of United States voters wished to keep him portrayed as a man. With the recent cultural shift prioritizing inclusivity, does it mean we should re-write tradition? Do you think Santa needs to change around his style?
Responders also offered up a few more suggestions to get Santa up to speed with the times. Proposals include Mr. Claus going on a diet, switching up his hairstyle, subscribing to Amazon Prime, rocking skinny jeans and more!
To view a visual representation of the entire survey check outgraphicsprings.com.
Photo: Getty Images