Why does Santa wear glasses? We asked a few real-life Santas and Mrs. Clauses, and the jolly old elves say they need their specs to see and read children’s wish lists.

Santa hasn’t always worn glasses though.

When did Santa discover he needed glasses?

The grandfatherly symbol of seasonal generosity with the snow-white beard and wire-rim spectacles is actually a relatively recent reboot of St. Nicholas (or Sinter Klaas, as he’s known in the Netherlands).

St. Nick, who died in 343 A.D. at age 73, was beloved for freely sharing his inherited wealth with the less fortunate. But he probably didn’t wear glasses. St. Nick lived before eyeglasses were invented (see A history of eyeglasses).

Most credit the modern-day, red-and-white remake of jolly old St. Nick to German-born American artist Thomas Nast, who fashioned 33 images of him over two decades for Harper’s Weekly magazine from 1863 to 1886.

Over the next century, Santa donned glasses, like much of mature America, as a newly invented vision aid and status symbol. In 20th-century America, glasses were a natural fit for an older gent with so many lists of nice and naughty kids to manage.

Today, the thousands of Santas and Mrs. Clauses who dedicate their time and talents to making the season bright often sport the distinctive “Santa glasses” as costume props, vision aids or both before they step into their sleighs.

So why does Santa wear glasses (and not contact lenses)? And where does he get them? We asked a few Santas and Mrs. Clauses.