Santa Claus was invented by Coca Cola, or so the myth goes.

There has long been a public perception that the iconic jolly fat man in the red suit with white trim was part of a Coke advertising campaign, but while he was, ‘Harpers Weekly' got in first.

Adults have a long-held a misconception about why Santa looks like he does. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

In 1892, Santa graced the cover of the now defunct American political magazine in garb similar to what we recognise today.

While it's true the Coke campaign of 1931 is often thought to be where our modern Santa's image came from, political cartoonist Thomas Nast pipped Coke illustrator's Haddon Sundblom by nearly 40 years.

Nast depicted Santa sliding down chimneys, wearing a red suit with white fur lining, a nightcap, and a black belt with a large buckle.

He also drew him in green, but it was the red that caught the public's imagination.

Traditionally portrayed as a white man, Santa can be of any race, and of either gender. However, in New Zealand he is usually represented as he has been for nearly 125 years.

Of course, kids will tell you the truth – he wears the red suit because it's cold at the North Pole.

The bright colour means he can be seen on the sleigh, ensuring planes don't fly into him by mistake and take out a couple of his reindeer.

And the belt? Well, that's to stop his trousers falling down.