Come Christmastime, your kid is bound to be full of questions about Santa Claus. When they’re toddlers, they’ll totally ask you, first and foremost, “When is Santa coming?” But as they get older, your kiddo will get more curious and their questions will become more complicated. Like, they might ask how old is Santa Claus, or how did Mr. and Mrs. Claus meet? And if they’re wondering how tall is Santa Claus, you’d better have the answers, in feet and inches.
It makes sense that your child is confused about how tall Santa Claus is. After all, they probably haven’t gotten a good glimpse of him, since they’re supposed to be sleeping when he shimmies down the chimney. Plus, if they’ve seen Mr. C. at the mall, well, more than likely he’s seated on his sleigh, so that’s not a good way to guesstimate how tall he is, either.
Still, it’s safe to say that St. Nick isn’t short. In comparison to his hard-working elves, he tends to tower over them. He’s also taller than Mrs. Claus, who is estimated to be about 5’5” tall, according to Dimensions.com. Although her actual height varies as well, Santa Claus is significantly taller than the missus.
That’s why, in all likeliness, Santa Claus probably has some height to him. But how tall is Santa Claus? According to Yes Santa Is Real, Santa Claus proudly stands at 6’6” tall. That’s pretty impressive, since the average male is about 5’9” tall, per Healthline. He’s also been reported to be around six feet tall, but in any case, Santa definitely isn’t short.
But then, there’s the question of “A Visit from St. Nicholas”. The 1837 poem by Clement Clarke Moore depicts Saint Nicholas as a “jolly elf”. Typically, elves are thought to be smaller people, but some elves are actually very tall. The Elves in J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy novels (like The Lord of the Rings, for example), are as tall as men. So for Santa Claus to be called an elf might not mean that he’s short, but rather taller than the average elf.
When it comes down to it, it’s anyone’s guess how tall Santa Claus is. Christmas magic is what keeps kids from seeing him, but if parents happen to get a peek of him, they can probably attest that St. Nick is a kind, good, (and tall) man.