Turns out, Santa is real. Science—yes, actual science—has just delivered a Christmas gift right on time: the face behind Saint Nicholas, the mythological figure Santa Clause represents. Spoiler alert: he is not sporting the thick white beard and sparkling vision that you might anticipate from such a role but still, there is a considerable amount of “kind and all-knowing granddad” feeling associated with him. As expected, the internet has done its thing, turning Saint Nicholas’s reconstructed face into a meme-worthy holiday gift. Some users joked that this Santa looks like he’d offer sage life advice before sneaking a cookie. Others said he has the vibe of someone who’d show up at your holiday party with the best Secret Santa gift.
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An X (formerly Twitter) user stated: "Wait why does he look just like my dad."
Another user asked: "Wait Santa is real?!"
Another user jokingly described: "I don't think the real Father Christmas would have such sad eyes. Or is that what he looks like at the end of a busy shift?"
Yet another user went on to ask: "Damn, we exhumed Santa's corpse? Where's Mrs. Clause…?"
"So he looks exactly the same😂😂😂😂", another comment read.
A user cutely put on a Santa hat on the recreated image.
Santa Claus’s real face
The team, led by Cicero Moraes, used a 3D model of Saint Nicholas’s skull as their canvas. With the help of anatomical deformation techniques and statistical projections, they created an image described as both “strong” and “gentle.” Just imagine a broad forehead, round nose, and thin lips—basically a scholarly version of your neighborhood’s most beloved uncle.
Saint Nicholas, the generous 4th-century bishop who inspired Santa Claus, was known for helping children and the poor. His story traveled across centuries, merging with Dutch traditions of Sinterklaas and the English Father Christmas to eventually land in Coca-Cola commercials and every mall ever. But, before now, his face was more mystery than miracle.
The newly reconstructed image gives a fresh take on the saint’s physicality, aligning with descriptions found in classic holiday lore. Moraes even pointed out similarities to the 1823 poem A Visit from St. Nicholas, which describes a “broad face” and “rosy cheeks.”
Why this matters?
Surprisingly, there is no true representation of Santa to date though he has immense popularity. Moraes stressed that despite the fact the first of the Saint Nicholas was buried in Myra (present-day Turkey), his relics were later moved to Bari, Italy.
For Cicero Moraes and his team, the real win lies in connecting us with the past in a way that feels vivid and personal. And for the rest of us, it’s a chance to toast the fact that Santa Claus’s spirit isn’t just about sleigh bells and stockings—it’s about kindness and a big heart, regardless of what his face looks like.
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