Santa says “ho ho ho” because English-language stories, songs, performances, and advertising gradually made it his signature written laugh. No reliable source identifies one person who invented it for Santa. The phrase already appeared as laughter in older literature, then became increasingly connected to Santa during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
It is not a secret North Pole greeting or a translated Christmas phrase. It is a sound effect: a compact way to tell the reader that Santa is laughing heartily before an actor says a word.
Key Takeaways
- “Ho ho ho” represented laughter before it became Santa’s catchphrase.
- The famous 1823 Santa poem does not contain the phrase.
- Nineteenth-century songs helped connect repeated “ho” sounds with Santa.
- L. Frank Baum put the laugh into a Santa story in 1902.
- There is no documented single inventor of Santa’s laugh.
Where “Ho Ho Ho” Came From
Written laughter changes with language, period, and character. English authors have used “ha,” “he,” “ho,” and other spellings to suggest different voices and moods. “Ho ho ho” was once used for comic, theatrical, mischievous, or even threatening characters, not just cheerful gift givers.
Charles Dickens used repeated “ho” laughter for a goblin in The Pickwick Papers in 1836. That example is not about Santa, but it proves the sound was already available to writers as a recognizable laugh. You can search the public-domain text in Project Gutenberg’s edition of the book.
Santa inherited the phrase later as his image became rounder, merrier, and more theatrical.
A Source-Checked Timeline of Santa’s Laugh
| Date | Source | What it shows |
| 1823 | “A Visit from St. Nicholas” first appears in print | Santa laughs, but “ho ho ho” is not written |
| 1836 | Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers | “Ho! ho! ho!” already functions as written laughter outside Santa stories |
| 1866 | Benjamin Hanby, “Santa Claus,” later known as “Up on the Housetop” | The original refrain used repeated “O” sounds; later songbooks changed them to “ho” |
| 1867 | William B. Bradbury’s Kris Kringle song | A repeated “oh ho” refrain connects the sound more directly with the Christmas gift giver |
| 1902 | L. Frank Baum, The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus | Santa sings and laughs with “ho, ho, ho” in a popular book-length story |
| Twentieth century onward | Film, radio, retail Santas, songs, and advertising | Performance turns the written sound into Santa’s expected voice |
The 1866 and 1867 song history is summarized in Mental Floss’s documented account of the phrase. Baum’s full 1902 text is available from Project Gutenberg, where Santa sings with both “ho” and “ha” laughter.
The timeline also corrects a common shortcut. The 1823 poem describes Santa’s “little round belly” shaking “like a bowl full of jelly,” but it never spells out “ho ho ho.” The laugh became attached to Santa through accumulation, not one famous original line.
Why Three “Hos”?
Three is the familiar modern rhythm, but history does not establish a formal rule. Writers and performers have used different counts, punctuation, and combinations of “ho,” “ha,” and “hee.”
The three-part form works well as a short catchphrase because it is easy to recognize and repeat. That is an observation about convention, not proof that Santa or one author deliberately selected an ideal number.
Does “Ho Ho Ho” Mean Anything?
In a Santa context, it normally means that Santa is laughing or announcing his cheerful presence. The phrase can function almost like a stage direction:
Ho, ho, ho! What a busy week it has been in the workshop.
The words after the laugh still need to carry the message. Repeating the phrase throughout a letter can make the voice feel more like a costume than a personal note.
How to Read Santa’s Laugh Aloud
There is no historically correct performance. For a warm family reading, try a comfortable speaking pitch, leave a small pause between each “ho,” and smile before the line so the voice sounds relaxed.
Do not strain for an unnaturally low voice. The goal is clarity and warmth, especially if the reader will continue through a full letter. A quiet, amused version can work just as well as the booming department-store style.
For written copy, one “ho ho ho” near the opening or closing is usually enough. Follow it with a detail that belongs to the child:
Ho, ho, ho, Maya! Comet told me how carefully you helped your little brother build that snowman.
The laugh creates the recognizable Santa voice. The specific sentence makes the message individual.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Santa say ho ho ho?
Stories, songs, and performances gradually made “ho ho ho” Santa’s conventional written laugh. No single inventor of the Santa-specific phrase has been documented.
What does ho ho ho mean?
In a Santa story, it means hearty laughter or a cheerful entrance. It is a sound effect rather than a coded phrase.
Is ho ho ho a greeting?
It can introduce Santa’s speech, so it sometimes functions like one. Historically and linguistically, however, it represents laughter.
Did Clement Clarke Moore invent ho ho ho?
No. The 1823 poem traditionally attributed to Moore describes Santa laughing but does not use the phrase “ho ho ho.”
Is ho ho ho in “A Visit from St. Nicholas”?
No. The poem describes Santa’s shaking belly and jolly appearance, but the familiar written laugh is absent.
When did Santa first say ho ho ho?
There is no uncontested first Santa use. Nineteenth-century songs strengthened the association, and L. Frank Baum used the phrase in a Santa story in 1902.
Did “Up on the Housetop” create Santa’s laugh?
The song helped the association, but Hanby’s 1866 original used repeated “O” sounds in the refrain. Later songbooks and recordings increasingly used “ho.”
Does Santa say ha ha ha too?
Yes, in some stories and performances. Baum’s 1902 book combines “ho,” “ha,” and “hee,” showing that the exact laugh was not always fixed.
Why does Santa say three hos?
Three became the conventional modern rhythm because it is brief and recognizable. Sources do not identify an official rule requiring exactly three.
Does Santa say ho ho ho in every country?
Not necessarily. Santa-like figures, names, written laughter, and performance traditions vary across languages and cultures.
Should a letter from Santa include ho ho ho?
It can, especially once near the opening or closing. Pair it with a specific personal detail so the letter does more than imitate a catchphrase.
How can I make a Santa voice sound natural?
Use a comfortable pitch, breathe normally, and pause lightly between the words. Warm delivery is more important than forcing an exaggerated deep voice.
Give the Laugh Something Worth Introducing
“Ho ho ho” tells the reader who is speaking. The next sentence should tell the child why this message belongs to them.
Use the Santa letter writing guide to build that next line, or review the current personalized letter options. One familiar laugh and one unmistakably personal detail are stronger than a page full of catchphrases.