Jordan Brand has revealed details on the Air Jordan 3 'Santa' colorway, inspired by classic holiday advertisements featuring Santa Claus. The sneaker features festive red and white detailing and is scheduled for release on November 21, 2026. This seasonal drop aims to capture Christmas spirit through its design elements.
The Air Jordan 3 'Santa' draws inspiration from a 1985 Nike holiday advertisement showing Santa's feet in a fireplace while wearing Air Jordan 1 'Chicago' sneakers, as reported by sneaker sources. Another commercial from the same year depicted Michael Jordan playing basketball against Father Christmas. Jordan Brand's new release ensures Santa stays stylish, according to Sneaker Freaker.
Design details include a full red suede upper mimicking Santa's velvet suit, with snowy white accents on the eyestays, tongue, collar, and midsole. The elephant print on the toe and heel appears in deep red, while coal black covers the 'Nike Air' heel tab and outsole. Extra red and green laces come standard, along with fluffy white laces to match Santa's fur trimmings. The insoles feature a snapshot of the iconic Christmas ad, though some reports describe them as showing Santa wearing Air Jordan 1s.
HotNewHipHop notes variations, describing the upper as vibrant varsity red leather or nubuck, with white leather on the midsole, collar, and eyestay. Black rubber outsoles include herringbone patterns for traction. The colorway, coded IF4396-601, is positioned as a holiday tradition for collectors and gift shoppers.
Reports originate from @zsneakerheadz and @sneakerfiles, providing speculative mockups. The sneakers will retail for $215 and drop via Nike's website and select Jordan Brand retailers, timed for peak holiday shopping. This follows other seasonal releases like the Air Jordan 5 'Halloween' in October.
