There are plenty of movies which take the premise that Santa really is real, but that grown-ups, sadly, don’t believe in him (or at least, not the “sensible” ones). But how exactly is this supposed to work? Is Santa delivering gifts to children, or not? If he is, then surely their parents would notice all these gifts arriving from who-knows-where. But if he’s not, then just what is Santa doing? Granted, there are some movies that seem to address this (in Miracle on 34th Street, for instance, he doesn’t give most of his gifts personally, he just inspires others to), but others seem to try to have it both ways (in The Santa Clause, for instance, Tim Allen is clearly tasked with flying from house to house, but most adults still disbelieve). What’s the scoop?
It’s magic, and impossible to explain. There’s just no two ways about it.
Two other movies in which Santa is real: Elf and The Polar Express.
Another is Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.
There was a TV movie called Santa Who?, in which Leslie Nielsen, as Santa Claus, falls out of his sleigh and gets amnesia.
It’s true… it really doesn’t make sense does it? Maybe in these movie universes, randomly appearing presents are just a fact of life, and happen other days of the year too?
This is one of those things that always bugged me too, so when I wrote a short story where Santa is real (warning: in-jokes ahoy), I assumed that adults all know Santa exists and this is just how the world works. Indeed, his sudden absence nearly leads to riots as parents crowd into toy stores that obviously aren’t prepared for the kind of volume that every parent buying toys for their kids generates.
Heh, Smapti, I’m glad to see that I’m not the only one who wondered about this.
A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas has Santa being real, although it is more of a cameo.
Arthur Christmas (my new favorite). Santa is actually an inherited position (though he is very long lived), and the logistics of Christmas are specifically addressed. Parents do accept he’s bringing gifts, even though no one alive has seen him.
Also Fred Claus and the offbeat Finnish film Rare Exports.
Also what, Elendil’s Heir? Are those also movies where the paradox exists, or also movies where it’s addressed somehow or another?
Santa was real once, there’s historical documentation . . .
I always supposed that Santa only went to houses of true believers. Or else each spouse would assume the other one had bought the mystery presents. It always worked for me.
The Hebrew Hammer, oddly.
It only works if humans are incapable of communicating with one another. Otherwise the unbelievers will find out about the true believers, and the adults will find out that their partner didn’t buy them.
Does not the Bible say that Santa works in mysterious ways?
True, but TV and movies tend to play loose and fast with that communication thing (as shown in every episode of Three’s Company.)
Once you get past the idea of flying reindeer/visiting all the houses in one night/300 pound guy fitting down the chimney when we don’t have a chimney, making mom think dad bought the new scooter and making dad think mom bought it is kinda trivial.
Aside: My sister’s house doesn’t have a fireplace, either. But they do have a print of Magritte’s Time Transfixed hanging on the wall, and it’s through that that Santa gains entry to give gifts to my nieces and nephew.
Because hey, magic.
Ironically, the people in these universes all assume the presents are brought by the Easter Bunny.