# Bad physics in Christmas movies and specials **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 11, 2008, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-physics-in-christmas-movies-and-specials/476710 "2008-12-11T14:18:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-physics-in-christmas-movies-and-specials/476710/21 "2008-12-11T16:44:41Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > Even better! If liking cheesy vintage holiday puppet specials is wrong, I don’t want to be right! ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-physics-in-christmas-movies-and-specials/476710/22 "2008-12-11T17:38:55Z")
> [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](#): > > Santa Claus is coming to town also I think has an unrealistic depiction of the North Pole. And how did they get the huge blocks of granite to build their castle all the way up there? They were left over from when Superman built his Fortress of Solitude. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-physics-in-christmas-movies-and-specials/476710/23 "2008-12-11T17:56:15Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Your typical roof wouldn’t support a reindeer, let alone a fully-laden sleigh. And, hello? not flat. Silly person, they hover. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RiverRunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/977dab/32.png) [@RiverRunner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RiverRunner)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-physics-in-christmas-movies-and-specials/476710/24 "2008-12-11T18:11:13Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > They were left over from when Superman built his Fortress of Solitude. He shoulda used the same blue material that Doc Savage used to build [his](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortress_of_Solitude#Doc_Savage_and_his_Fortress_of_Solitude). RR ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-physics-in-christmas-movies-and-specials/476710/25 "2008-12-11T18:30:40Z")
The antlers act as airfoils, and when they get up to the speed needed to get all around the world in one night, the lift generated is sufficient to overcome gravity. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-physics-in-christmas-movies-and-specials/476710/26 "2008-12-11T18:40:45Z")
Santa Clause. Superman. Doc Savage. Ozymandius. Cthulhu. These guys claim they want solitude but they still get together for their weekly poker parties. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-physics-in-christmas-movies-and-specials/476710/27 "2008-12-11T18:57:45Z")
Santa doesn’t live at the “real” North Pole; he lives at the **mythical** North Pole, one of those lands of legend which you can only get to by following a special magic route, like Peter Pan’s Neverland. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-physics-in-christmas-movies-and-specials/476710/28 "2008-12-11T19:14:21Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Your typical roof wouldn’t support a reindeer, let alone a fully-laden sleigh. And, hello? not flat. It could easily support a few reindeer (a whole dozen (or is there only ten?)) I don’t know, but the average pitched roof could easily support 3-4 spaced out, assuming they didn’t slip off. But a ten-twelve, a large sleigh full of presents, AND a fat man? That I’ll have to agree with you on. I hope Santa has some 2x4s and plywood in his sack to give to mom and dad. ---
**Author:** ![cmosdes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@cmosdes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmosdes)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-physics-in-christmas-movies-and-specials/476710/29 "2008-12-11T19:32:07Z")
How much of the world would realistically expect to have a “white Christmas”? My guess would be less than 30%, yet Santa and his reindeer seem to visit only those houses. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-physics-in-christmas-movies-and-specials/476710/30 "2008-12-11T19:58:37Z")
I know for a fact that Santa goes to Mexico and it is not very “white Christmas-y”. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-physics-in-christmas-movies-and-specials/476710/31 "2008-12-11T20:04:11Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > It could easily support a few reindeer (a whole dozen (or is there only ten?)) There were eight. And like Santa, they were tiny. It was, IIRC, Coke that made them big. ---
**Author:** ![Hi\_Neighbor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hi_neighbor/32/494_2.png) [@Hi\_Neighbor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Neighbor)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-physics-in-christmas-movies-and-specials/476710/32 "2008-12-11T20:11:59Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > Here is an [oldie but a goodie](http://www.main.com/~anns/other/humor/physicsofsanta.html). My favorite part is the end: > [@](#): > > In conclusion - If Santa ever DID deliver presents on Christmas Eve, he’s dead by now. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-physics-in-christmas-movies-and-specials/476710/33 "2008-12-11T21:02:10Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > There were eight. And like Santa, they were tiny. Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Rudolph, and Olive. ---
**Author:** ![RiverRunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/977dab/32.png) [@RiverRunner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RiverRunner)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-physics-in-christmas-movies-and-specials/476710/34 "2008-12-11T21:31:08Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Santa doesn’t live at the “real” North Pole; he lives at the **mythical** North Pole, one of those lands of legend which you can only get to by following a special magic route, like Peter Pan’s Neverland. The Straight Road! RR ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-physics-in-christmas-movies-and-specials/476710/35 "2008-12-11T21:57:47Z")
> [@RiverRunner](#): > > The Straight Road! > RR Well, there ARE all those Elves living there… ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-physics-in-christmas-movies-and-specials/476710/36 "2008-12-11T21:59:17Z")
> [@](#): > > The Straight Road! Y’know, that makes a scary amount of sense. If you follow the Straight Road west, you get to Valinor. If you follow it north, you get to Santa’s workshop. Now I’ve got to find a copy of _The Father Christmas Letters_ again and confirm. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-physics-in-christmas-movies-and-specials/476710/37 "2008-12-11T22:58:38Z")
Not physics, but I’ve always wondered: why doesn’t Mattel or whoever sues Santa for infringing their rights, what with all that making cheap knock-off of their toys in some slave labor factory-- is it because those laws don’t apply in the North Pole? Is that why he moved there? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-physics-in-christmas-movies-and-specials/476710/38 "2008-12-11T23:24:33Z")
> [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > Not physics, but I’ve always wondered: why doesn’t Mattel or whoever sues Santa for infringing their rights, what with all that making cheap knock-off of their toys in some slave labor factory-- is it because those laws don’t apply in the North Pole? Is that why he moved there? Everything’s made under license, though. Mattel gets paid the licensing fee every year, and they don’t have any overhead because the slave labor elves are making the product for free. Hey, he’s at the North Pole for a reason…no labor laws! ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2008, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-physics-in-christmas-movies-and-specials/476710/39 "2008-12-12T00:46:11Z")
> [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > Not physics, but I’ve always wondered: why doesn’t Mattel or whoever sues Santa for infringing their rights, what with all that making cheap knock-off of their toys in some slave labor factory-- is it because those laws don’t apply in the North Pole? Is that why he moved there? Here’s a little secret for you: Mattel et al are in on it. Santa’s not using THEIR designs; THEY are using HIS. Except for the Playstation 3. That’s all Sony. I have no idea what that last sentence means, but my wife assures me it’s apt. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2008, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-physics-in-christmas-movies-and-specials/476710/40 "2008-12-12T04:55:30Z")
Well, the ones that flop aren’t usually Santa designs… He’s got a great record. But he charges exorbitant licensing fees (that’s how he keeps his free-toys operation going), so the human toy companies sometimes decide to take the risk on their own designs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-physics-in-christmas-movies-and-specials/476710.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-physics-in-christmas-movies-and-specials/476710.md?page=3)