Santa Claus’ Desert Beginnings

Original Coca-Cola Santa created in Tucson, Arizona

Tucson, AZ - We see his sweet face every holiday season: the jolly, rosy-cheeked, red-suited Coca-Cola Santa. With just one look, this classic Santa confirms we are home for the holidays and brings a smile to the faces of young and old.

You may think this lovable Santa was created amidst a winter wonderland like his home in the North Pole, yet the Coca-Cola Santa was penned in the sunny Sonoran Desert of Tucson at Westward Look Resort.

In the early 1930s, artist Haddon H. Sundblom was commissioned by The Coca-Cola Company to create a Santa that would be more appealing to children than the tall, thin, somewhat serious Kris Kringle of European legend.

While gaining inspiration from the desert breeze and warm sunshine on his balcony at Westward Look, Sundblom brought Santa to life in 40 paintings for Coca-Cola.

Sundblom’s jovial Santa brought cheer and a sense of optimism to a country that was struggling through the Depression and World War II from the 1930s to 1945.

Lani and Sancy Nason, daughters of the resort’s owners at the time, were often used by Sundblom as models for his paintings. In one memorable illustration, Sundblom transformed Sancy into a young boy to portray the perfect Coca-Cola message to both boys and girls. Though Lani and Sancy no longer live in Arizona, their mother still resides by Westward Look on three acres she and her husband kept after selling the resort in 1968.

Although the resort has recently undergone a multi-million dollar renovation, including the lobby, guest-rooms, and Gold Room…one thing remains the same. The desert gallery still houses Sundblom’s memorabilia and drawings for visitors and locals alike to enjoy during every time of year, especially at Christmas!

About Westward Look Resort
Westward Look Resort is set in the foothills of Tucson’s Santa Catalina Mountains on 80 acres of pristine Sonoran Desert. It offers 244 suite-sized rooms, two award-winning restaurants, a chef’s garden, the Sonoran Spa, eight tennis courts, desert hiking trails, on-site stables for horseback riding and multiple pools. Westward Look Resort is owned by American Property Management Company. The company, based in San Diego, California owns 45 hotels and resorts across the United States. More information is available at 1-800-722-2500 and at http://www.westwardlook.com/.

Technorati Tags: Art, artist, Christmas, Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Santa, drawings, Haddon H. Sundblom, home for the holidays, illustration, Lani and Sancy Nason, Lani Nason, memorabilia, North Pole, painting, paintings, Sancy Nason, Santa, Santa Catalina Mountains, Sonoran Desert, Tucson, Westward Look Resort, winter wonderland