Best Santa hat

Even if you're not planning on dressing up in a fuzzy red suit and donning the iconic beard, Santa hats are the perfect way to echo Jolly Old St. Nicholas during your Christmas celebration. The best Santa hats can fall under a few different categories these days: some light up, while others are wearable beyond Christmas (if you're so inclined). Our best overall Santa hat by BOSONER exemplifies the iconic appearance of that crimson chapeau, with a soft white brim and pom-pom. It's comfortable too, thanks to the addition of a lining—no more scratchy sensation on your forehead. Take a look below at the other Santa hats I liked best, and I hope you find the perfect one to wear throughout this cheerful season.

You can't beat BOSONER's classic velvet Santa hat for extended wear. Unlike its compatriots, it's created with a soft, itch-free lining, and you won't want to take it off. That lining is also sweat-absorbent, which is a welcome feature if you're wearing this hat by the fireplace. Price-wise, it's inexpensive, but that doesn't affect its quality; it's designed to last for Christmases to come. You'll need to avoid machine washing, unfortunately. Instead, spot-treating and hand washing is the way to go if BOSONER's hat gets soiled during festivities.

Silliness and Santa Claus go together like peanut butter and jelly; the holidays shouldn't have to feel somber or dull. So have fun this Christmas with DomeStar's Santa pants hat for a funnier take on the usual holiday headdress. This year, Santa clearly got caught in the chimney, and this hat tells that tale unmistakably. A little glittery belt buckle and black boots complete the look, and nearly anyone in the family can wear this one-size-fits-all hat. 

Santa hats, in my opinion, have a couple of significant failings—they can be scratchy and uncomfortable to wear and usually won't keep you warm. They look great in photos but are only used once a year. While we chose HINDAWI's beanie Santa hat colorway for its undeniable Christmas spirit, there are also more "normal" shades like plum and khaki or navy and grey offered. You won't find any itchy wool in HINDAWI's hat selection, either. Soft, warm acrylic yarn will keep your kid's noggin toasty, and its texture is kinder on tender skin. The hat's fit is snug enough for everyday use too, so there's no need to keep it hidden away until next Christmas.

Light-up Santa hats: I would have loved to have one of those as a kid! Winks Novelty created a Santa hat that's not just comfortable but ultra-festive with bright, color-changing LEDs. Novelty clothing and accessories are commonly sold in unisex and one-size-fits-all measurements, and that's how Winks Novelty sized their youth hats. However, the adult Santa hat's sizing is exact: they're designed to fit hat sizes 6 3/4 to 7 1/2. The youth size should fit children in elementary and middle school. A nice perk is that you don't need to worry about a bit of water shorting out the battery pack. At the same time, I wouldn't recommend wearing this hat in a downpour or blizzard, so use your judgment.

Sometimes, Christmas's merry duo of green and red gets to be too much of a good thing. However, alternative decorations and apparel exist, like this jet black Santa hat from OLLULL. This inky stocking hat trimmed with snowy fur is the perfect choice for those celebrating a more irreverent take on the Christmas spirit. It hearkens to the spookier side of Christmas—think movies like Nightmare Before Christmas or iconic literary archetypes like the Ghosts of Past, Present, and Future. My favorite amongst the creepy Christmas traditions is the Germanic antithesis of Santa Claus—Krampus. Krampusnacht is the holy day of this pre-Christian entity, Jolly Old Saint Nicholas' former partner. But, he shows up the night before Christmas instead, and rather than gifts, he's there to dole out punishment to those on the naughty list. 

Bottom line

Santa hats are inherently similar; it's a very specific look. However, the best Santa hats tend to have a bit of special flair that sets them apart. I had to pay homage to the classic silhouette first, though—BOSONER's fluffy take is our staff pick and best overall. The details are a furry white pom-pom and brim and scarlet, velvety fabric. Despite a sweat-absorbent lining, this hat's not intended to be worn every day. 

If your kids aren't ready to let Christmas go just yet, then there's a solution for that in HINDAWI's wintry, Santa-hat-styled beanie. It's knit in a cloudlike stitch from soft acrylic yarn, and its design translates more smoothly into daily wear.

Why trust us?

At GardeningEtc, we recommend the best products to enhance your life. As expert curators, we handpick products based on quality and usefulness to positively impact your day-to-day, from cart to doorstep. We take our responsibility seriously — testing products, reading reviews, and sourcing knowledgeable outlets to ensure our selections are worthy of your time and money. We deliver detailed product overviews, balancing objective information with subjective opinions, so making the best choice for your home and lifestyle is as easy as possible.