Unicode has three Santas: Santa Claus, U+1F385, Mrs. Claus and Mx Claus, each in five skin tones. There is no reindeer, sleigh or chimney, so stand-ins follow, then keyboard Santas, lines and ASCII art: 75 tiles. Santa emoji copy and paste, batteries not included.
Read the full guide
Father Christmas, officially
Unicode's name for U+1F385 is Father Christmas, with Santa Claus as a gloss, and Mrs. Claus is Mother Christmas. Wikipedia's Santa Claus article says the two figures are now popularly regarded as the same person, so nobody is wrong. CLDR, Unicode's list of search words, files father under him and mother under her. Mx Claus gets Mx.
What the sleigh is missing
CLDR lists nothing under reindeer, chimney, workshop or coal. It files sleigh under Sled and stocking under Socks, and there it stops. So Deer plays the reindeer, House the chimney and Rock the coal, which Wikipedia's Christmas stocking article says tradition threatens a badly behaved child with.
Tips
Search knows the stand-ins: reindeer leads with Deer, chimney with House, coal with Rock, north pole with Up arrow, CLDR's only emoji under north.
Elf and Person with a beard take skin tones too. Mx Claus and Rock, Emoji 13.0, are the newest here: empty boxes on older phones.
The six ASCII drawings run 12 to 28 columns wide and need a monospaced font. The list, page one has three names. Edit to suit.
Questions and answers
Is there a Mrs. Claus emoji?
Yes: Mrs. Claus, U+1F936, Emoji 3.0. Wikipedia's Mrs. Claus article says she is often depicted keeping the ledger of good and bad children, so Ledger is here too. Mx Claus is three code points: Person, a zero width joiner and Christmas tree.
Is there a reindeer emoji?
No, and no Unicode character has reindeer in its name. Deer, U+1F98C, stands in. Wikipedia's Santa Claus's reindeer article says an 1823 poem has the sleigh pulled by a team of eight, so Eight reindeer, one sleigh pastes eight deer, the sled and Santa.
How do I type Santa on a keyboard?
Asterisk, less-than sign, vertical bar, colon, hyphen, closing bracket: bobble, hat, brim, eyes, nose, smile. Wikipedia's List of emoticons gives that one for Santa Claus. Nine keyboard Santas are here, one with glasses and one facing the other way. One-line ASCII art has more.
🎄Christmas treeU+1F384. One of three characters with Christmas in its Unicode name. The other two are Father Christmas and Mother Christmas, and Mx Claus is built from this one. Emoji 0.6.
🤶Mrs. ClausU+1F936. Unicode names it Mother Christmas, glossed Mrs. Claus, and CLDR gives her mother and Mrs where he has father. Wikipedia's Mrs. Claus article calls her the legendary wife of Santa Claus. Five skin tones. Emoji 3.0.
🧑🎄Mx ClausU+1F9D1 U+200D U+1F384. Three code points: Person, a zero width joiner and Christmas tree. CLDR files it under Mx, with neither mother nor father. The newest of the three, and it takes skin tones too. Emoji 13.0.
🎅Santa ClausU+1F385. Unicode's own name for it is Father Christmas, glossed Santa Claus. CLDR files it under eleven words, father among them. It takes all five skin tones. Emoji 0.6.
🎁Wrapped giftU+1F381. CLDR files it under present and christmas. Wikipedia's Santa Claus article says he is depicted carrying a bag full of gifts for children; CLDR lists nothing under sack, so the gift travels loose. Emoji 0.6.
Show all 75 Santa things (70 more)
Reindeer, sleigh, elves and the way north 6
🦌DeerU+1F98C. CLDR lists nothing under reindeer, so this is the reindeer. Two search words: animal, deer. Wikipedia's Santa Claus's reindeer article says an 1823 poem gave the sleigh a team of eight. Emoji 3.0.
🧝ElfU+1F9DD. Wikipedia's article says Christmas elves are said to make the gifts in Santa's workshop. CLDR files the elf under enchantment, folklore and myth, and says nothing about toys. Five skin tones. Emoji 5.0.
🔨HammerU+1F528. CLDR lists nothing under workshop, so this is the workshop. Five search words: hammer, home, improvement, repairs, tool. Emoji 0.6.
🛷SledU+1F6F7. The only emoji CLDR files under sleigh. Unicode's notes gloss it as sledge, toboggan, which undersells the cargo space. Emoji 5.0.
🧸Teddy bearU+1F9F8. One of two emoji CLDR files under toy. The other is the yo-yo, which did not make the sleigh. Emoji 11.0.
⬆️Up arrowU+2B06 U+FE0F. The only emoji CLDR files under north. Wikipedia's article says Santa is traditionally said to live at the North Pole, so this is the way there. It has a text form. Emoji 0.6.
Christmas Eve 8
🥕CarrotU+1F955. Three search words: carrot, food, vegetable. For the deer, who do not get a cookie. Emoji 3.0.
🍪CookieU+1F36A. Five search words: chip, chocolate, cookie, dessert, sweet. None of them is santa, and yet. Emoji 0.6.
🥛Glass of milkU+1F95B. Three search words: drink, glass, milk. Unicode's notes gloss it as milk, in case of doubt. Emoji 3.0.
🏠HouseU+1F3E0. Wikipedia's article says Santa is said to enter dwellings through the chimney. CLDR lists nothing under chimney, so this is the chimney, house attached. It has a text form. Emoji 0.6.
🌃Night with starsU+1F303. Wikipedia's article says he is said to bring gifts during the late evening and overnight hours on Christmas Eve. Three search words: night, star, stars. Emoji 0.6.
🪨RockU+1FAA8. Wikipedia's Christmas stocking article says tradition threatens a child who behaves badly with a piece or pile of coal. CLDR lists nothing under coal, so this is the coal. Emoji 13.0.
😴Sleeping faceU+1F634. CLDR files it under bed, bedtime and goodnight. The deliveries are overnight, so this is the recommended state. Emoji 1.0.
🧦SocksU+1F9E6. The only emoji CLDR files under stocking. Wikipedia's Christmas stocking article calls the stocking an empty sock or sock-shaped bag, so the filing is fair. Emoji 5.0.
The suit, as described 4
🧥CoatU+1F9E5. A red coat with white fur collar and cuffs, the sentence goes on. CLDR files the coat under brr, bundle and cold, and mentions no fur. Emoji 5.0.
👓GlassesU+1F453. Often with glasses, says the same sentence. It has a text form. Emoji 0.6.
🥾Hiking bootU+1F97E. A black leather belt and boots, it ends. CLDR files boot under two emoji and lists nothing under belt. Emoji 11.0.
🧔Person with a beardU+1F9D4. A white-bearded man, says Wikipedia's description of how Santa is generally depicted. CLDR files this one under beard, bearded and whiskers. Five skin tones. Emoji 5.0.
The letter and the list 6
✅Check mark buttonU+2705. Nice. CLDR files it under done, complete and tick. It has a text form. Emoji 0.6.
📋ClipboardU+1F4CB. The only emoji CLDR files under list. Four search words: clipboard, do, list, notes. It has a text form. Emoji 0.6.
❌Cross markU+274C. Naughty. CLDR files it under cancel and multiply, among others. It has a text form. Emoji 0.6.
✉️EnvelopeU+2709 U+FE0F. Wikipedia's article says children sometimes write letters to Santa Claus, often with a Christmas wish list. CLDR files letter under the envelope. It has a text form. Emoji 0.6.
📒LedgerU+1F4D2. Wikipedia's Mrs. Claus article says she is often depicted keeping the ledger of good and bad children. Unicode has a ledger, filed under ledger and notebook. Emoji 0.6.
📮PostboxU+1F4EE. Three search words: mail, mailbox, postbox. The same article says some postal services collect and respond to letters addressed to Santa. Emoji 0.6.
Plain-text ho ho ho, ticks and crosses 7
ほほほHo ho ho in hiragana: Hiragana letter ho, three times
ホホホThe same three syllables in katakana: Katakana letter ho, three times
✗Ballot XU+2717 Ballot x. Naughty, in plain text. Unicode's notes point from it to the saltire, which is a cross with better manners.
✓Check markU+2713 Check mark. Nice, in plain text: an ordinary character, so it takes the colour of your words.
鹿Deer, as a Han characterU+9E7F. Unihan defines it as deer; surname; Kangxi radical 198. Three Unicode characters have deer as a word of their names: a Kangxi radical, a Linear B ideogram and the emoji.
父Father, as a Han characterU+7236. Unihan defines it as father; Kangxi radical 88. Unicode's name for the Santa emoji is Father Christmas, and this is the first half.
☐ Naughty ☑ NiceA form, filled in optimistically: Ballot box, then Ballot box with check
Keyboard Santas, one line each 9
*<|:-)The classic. Wikipedia's List of emoticons gives it for Santa Claus: bobble, hat, brim, face
*<|:-)}}}With the beard, three braces long
*<|;-)}}}Winking. He has read the letter
<|:-)An elf: the same hat with the bobble off
@|:-)Mrs. Claus, hair in a bun
{{{(-:|>*Facing the other way, for the far end of a line
*<|8-)}}}With glasses, which Wikipedia says he often has
*<|:-D}}}Mid ho
*<|:-O}}}Somebody is still awake
Santa lines to paste 14
🎅❄️🎅❄️🎅Border row of Santas and snowflakes
😴 Asleep by nine, officially 😴For the night before
🪨 Coal is a gift too, technically 🧦For a year that went another way
Dasher Dancer Prancer Vixen Comet Cupid Donner BlitzenNo emoji: roll call. The eight names from the 1823 poem, in the order Wikipedia lists them
✉️ Dear Santa, the list is attached. It is long 📋A covering note
🧝 Elf on overtime. Send snacks 🔨From the workshop floor
🥕 For the reindeer. The cookie is spoken for 🍪A label for the plate
*<|:-) Ho ho ho (-:|>*No emoji: the laugh between two keyboard Santas
🎅 Ho ho ho 🎅The laugh, Santa at both ends
🎅 Merry Christmas from the North Pole 🤶Signed by both of them
🤶 Mrs. Claus keeps the ledger. Behave 📒A reminder, per Wikipedia's Mrs. Claus article
📋 On the nice list, pending review ✅A status
🎅 Santa, please stop here 🏠A sign for the lawn
🛷 Sleigh parked on the roof. Do not tow 🦌A notice for the neighbours
Santa text art 6
The bag, labelledWikipedia's article lists The Man with the Bag among his other names. This is the bag, tied at the neck. Plain ASCII, 12 columns wide.
Belt buckleA black leather belt, says Wikipedia's description, and CLDR lists nothing under belt. This is the middle of it. Plain ASCII, 26 columns wide.
Boots in the chimneyHe went in head first. Two boots, one chimney pot, three courses of brick. Plain ASCII, 13 columns wide.
Letter, addressedAn envelope with a stamp and the only address it needs. Plain ASCII, 28 columns wide.
The list, page oneA clipboard with three entries. The cat knows what it did. Plain ASCII, 13 columns wide; edit the names to suit.
Santa hatA cone, a bobble and a fur trim made of tildes. Wikipedia's description has a red hat with white fur trim; colour is not available in ASCII. 14 columns wide.
Santa emoji combos 10
🧦🪨Coal, this yearSocks, then rock. The only emoji CLDR files under stocking, holding the nearest thing to coal.
🎅⬇️🏠Down the chimneySanta Claus, then down arrow, then house. CLDR files the down arrow under south, which from the North Pole is every direction.
🦌🦌🦌🦌🦌🦌🦌🦌🛷🎅Eight reindeer, one sleighDeer 8 times, then sled, then Santa Claus. A team of eight, which is the number Wikipedia's Santa Claus's reindeer article takes from the 1823 poem A Visit from St. Nicholas.
✉️📮⬆️Letter to the North PoleEnvelope, then postbox, then up arrow. Written, posted, sent north.
🤶🏻🤶🏼🤶🏽🤶🏾🤶🏿Mrs. Claus, all five tonesMrs. Claus five times, light to dark: U+1F936 with the same five modifiers.
🧑🏻🎄🧑🏼🎄🧑🏽🎄🧑🏾🎄🧑🏿🎄Mx Claus, all five tonesMx Claus five times, light to dark. The modifier goes after the person and before the joiner, so each one is four code points.
🧑🎄Mx Claus, some assembly requiredPerson, then Christmas tree. The two visible parts of Mx Claus with the zero width joiner left out, so they stay two.
📋✅❌Naughty or niceClipboard, then check mark button, then cross mark. The list and the two possible outcomes.
🎅🏻🎅🏼🎅🏽🎅🏾🎅🏿Santa, all five tonesSanta Claus five times, light to dark: U+1F385 followed by each skin tone modifier in turn, U+1F3FB to U+1F3FF.
🧔👓🧥🥾The suit, top to toePerson: beard, then glasses, then coat, then hiking boot. Beard, glasses, coat, boots: the order Wikipedia's description of Santa gives them in.
How this list was compiled: Built by script on 2026-09-19, not typed by hand. The emoji, their names, code points and Emoji version numbers come from emoji-test.txt, version 18.0 (https://www.unicode.org/Public/18.0.0/emoji/emoji-test.txt); names are the CLDR short names printed in that file, in sentence case. The search words are from the CLDR English annotations (https://github.com/unicode-org/cldr/blob/main/common/annotations/en.xml and https://github.com/unicode-org/cldr/blob/main/common/annotationsDerived/en.xml, main branch). CLDR lists santa and claus for three emoji (Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, Mx Claus) and nothing for reindeer, chimney, north pole, naughty, sack, workshop, coal, fireplace, rooftop or belt. Sleigh is listed for one emoji (sled), stocking for one (socks), list for one (clipboard), ledger for one (ledger), north for one (up arrow), south for one (down arrow) and toy for two (yo-yo, teddy bear). So reindeer, chimney, coal, workshop and the rest are this site's own search words, not CLDR's. The text forms come from emoji-variation-sequences.txt, version 18.0.0 (https://www.unicode.org/Public/18.0.0/ucd/emoji/emoji-variation-sequences.txt). Every character that is not an emoji was checked against UnicodeData.txt, version 18.0.0 (https://www.unicode.org/Public/18.0.0/ucd/UnicodeData.txt), and a note that names a character uses its name from that file. Notes about what a character is used for come from the annotations in NamesList.txt, version 18.0.0 (https://www.unicode.org/Public/18.0.0/ucd/NamesList.txt). U+1F385 is named Father Christmas and glossed Santa Claus; U+1F936 is named Mother Christmas and glossed Mrs. Claus. Three characters have CHRISTMAS as a word of their names (U+1F384, U+1F385, U+1F936), two have FATHER (U+2F57 Kangxi radical father, U+1F385) and three have DEER (U+2FC5 Kangxi radical deer, U+10082 Linear B ideogram B104 deer, U+1F98C); none has SANTA, CLAUS, REINDEER, SLEIGH, STOCKING or CHIMNEY. U+307B, U+30DB, U+2713, U+2717 and U+2610 are not in emoji-test.txt; U+2611 is, and is used bare, in its text style. Meanings of Chinese characters come from the kDefinition field of Unihan_Readings.txt in Unihan.zip, version 18.0.0 (https://www.unicode.org/Public/18.0.0/ucd/Unihan.zip). What the page says about Santa (said to bring gifts overnight on Christmas Eve; elves said to make the gifts in the workshop; flying reindeer and the sleigh; now popularly regarded as the same person as Father Christmas; the white beard, glasses, red coat, belt, boots and bag of gifts; ho, ho, ho; the North Pole; the chimney; letters and wish lists; the other names Saint Nick, Kris Kringle and The Man with the Bag) is from the English Wikipedia article Santa Claus (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus). The legendary wife, the name Mother Christmas and the ledger of good and bad children are from Mrs. Claus (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mrs._Claus); the team of eight, its names and the 1823 poem from Santa Claus's reindeer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus%27s_reindeer); the empty sock and the coal from Christmas stocking (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_stocking). The keyboard Santa *<|:-) is listed for Santa Claus in List of emoticons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_emoticons), which cites a 2001 book; it has circulated without an author for longer than that, and the other eight text tiles in that group were made here. All five articles were read on 2026-09-19. The 14 lines, 6 ASCII drawings and 10 combos are this site's own work: the emoji in them are fetched by name from emoji-test.txt, the plain characters by name from UnicodeData.txt, and the drawings were made for this page. All sources were checked on 2026-09-19. Licence: own work