Welcome Coca-Cola as Gold Sponsor for Discover Santa 2016!

Newsletter No. 58 May 25, 2016

Announcing Gold Sponsor:

This is exciting. Really exciting!

Coca-Cola has come aboard as one of our special sponsors, a Gold Sponsor, for Discover Santa 2016. Through Coca-Cola Ozarks, we have a very special participation with the world's number one soft drink.

The association and partnership between Santa Claus and Coca-Cola is famous and we are so glad that they will be joining us in our week of celebration and fellowship.

Starting with Wednesday's Kringle Family Reunion, on July 6, to the Parade of Red Suits the following morning, on July 7, Coca Cola is our presenting sponsor.

And joining us for all of the festivities will be "Bubble's," the polar bear and mascot for Coca-Cola. Bubbles will be riding in the parade and will also be making special appearances at the reunion and other convention events, where everyone can pose for 'selfies!'

From our opening day Kringle Family Reunion to the Parade of Red Suits to the games of SNO-lympics, Coke will be there supply complimentary refreshments, and very special photo opportunities for all of our Santas and Mrs. Claus.

To start with, Coca-Cola will be the refreshment of choice at the Kringle Family Reunion on Wednesday Afternoon, July 6, from 3 to 6 p.m., Which is hosted by the Grand Village Shops site of our first ever, "Parade of Red Suits.

Also hosting is Kringle's Christmas Store and Mel's Hard Luck Diner, all owned by Mel Bilbo who first invited us to Parade in 2006. We are so happy to bring the Kringle Family Reunion to "Kringles!"

There will be celebrities, an anniversary cake, special photo-ops and of course lots of ice cold Coca-Cola for everyone. Plus, there will be lots of opportunities for shopping, prizes to win from Kringles and other retailers, and dining, too!

The following morning, Coca-Cola will continue as the Presenting Sponsors for the Parade of Red Suits, Hosted by Branson Landing. Coke will provide refreshments to keep our Santas hydrated and comfortable. It takes a lot of work coordinating over 1,000 participants in the Parade and the expected thousands of spectators, both local residents and visiting tourists.

All of this was arranged through Coca-Cola Ozark who will be supplying complimen tary Coke at the Reunion. And for the parade, we have plenty of Dasani Water and Coke to keep all Santas and Mrs. Claus hydrated and refreshed before and after the parade.

Our 'special thanks go to Cole Mashburn, Special Operations Mana ger, and Shelly Swopes, Corporate Food Services, at Coca Cola Ozarks. They are the regional distributors and suppliers of Coke products throughout Branson, Springfield and the entire region. And they have told us there are a few additional surprises coming for everyone attending the convention.

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Haddon Sundblom's first Santa - 1931

It was 1931 and Haddon Sundblom was chosen to create the new Christmas Ad with Santa Claus. Coke had used Santa in ads as early as 1923, but this year they were looking for something different.

Little did anyone know that Sundblom's warm and friendly Santa would become an international symbol and firmly establish forever, the basic look and style of Santa Claus.

Sundblom continued his paintings, showing Santa in different activities as he made his annual deliveries. Sometimes he created two or three paintings per year.


	Haddon Sundblom - 1964

Initially a friend posed for Santa, but when he passed away, Sundblom used himself for the model. The advertisements were a staple in the Saturday Evening Post, Time and Life Magazines and National Geographic. And the image of the Coke Santa covered the globe.

Sundblom continued his work for Coca Cola through 1964, 34 years, and the initial artwork is still used as a basis for many of Coca-Colas ads today. Recently Haddon Sundblom was inducted into the International Santa Claus Hall of Fame.