Santa decided US Civil War

BBC World has this to say as part of an article on politicians sending out christmas cards:

“The venerable Abraham Lincoln was the first US president who saw political mileage in the Christmas message, and in the process, immortalised the figure of Santa as we know him.

During the American Civil War, which pitted the slave-owning South against the government union of the North, the then president requested a political cartoonist, Thomas Nast, to illustrate Santa with the Union troops in an attempt to bolster their spirits.

Mr Nast was the first to introduce a fat Santa in the now-traditional red suit and big leather belt.

Seeing this jolly fellow side with the North was allegedly very demoralising for the southern forces. They lost not very long after.” link