The most prominent secular character associated with Christmas is undoubtedly Santa Claus. The jolly, fat elf, as we recognize him, has been delighting fans in popular media, department stores, and even Disney parks since his induction into the history of the holiday in 1823, when Clement Clark Moore put pen to paper (or ink to quill) and wrote- “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” better know as “Twas the Night Before Christmas.”
Since the publication garnered national and eventual global attention, Santa Claus has been the lead man of the festival holiday, which derives many of its observances from Roman, Celtic, Norse, and other European traditions.
We all know the story: on Christmas Eve, Father Christmas leaves the North Pole on a sleigh full of toys, guided by eight tiny reindeer. In a matter of one night, St Nick visits all the good little girls and boys, leaving gifts under their Christmas Trees.
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Santa is a polarizing figure, portrayed typically as an older man, plump in the midsection, with a snowy white beard, donning his iconic red and white coat. As akin to Moore’s description, Santa is jolly good-natured, often leaving rings of smoke from his pipe shifting above his head as he goes about his work.
For this reason, even though we’ve seen Father Christmas depicted a few times as a nasty, rude being, as in A Christmas Story (1983), Saint Nicholas is typically portrayed as a kind, generous, and loving figure, very much like we’d associate with a grandfather, earning him the name of Grandfather Frost in some parts of the world.
Disney and Santa Claus
Not to waste a chance to bring holiday traditions to its fans, Disney has made Santa Claus a prominent part of its Christmas festivities at its theme parks. At Disneyland and Walt Disney World, guests to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party– at Magic Kingdom, or other parades and shows, can expect to see St Nicholas throughout the Disney culture.
Disney’s representation of Saint Nicholas goes beyond what we typically see in popular media. Although Santa is traditionally a white-skinned man, due to his roots in Scandinavian, Celtic, and Baltic traditions, Disney often portrays the father of Christmas and his bride, Mrs Claus, as different ethnic options, galvanizing Christmas and making it inclusive for everyone.
Further, as Christmas has become more commercialized, Disney has added plenty of popular series, shows, and movies to the holiday watch-list featuring the big guy. Although you can find Santa Claus in several different Disney products, even some with Mickey Mouse taking over the role of Father Christmas, one particular role has stood out amongst the crowd for decades, making him Disney’s official Santa Claus (at least in my mind).
Tim Allen as Santa Claus
Tim Allen is widely recognized for his iconic portrayal of Santa Claus in the Disney movie franchise The Santa Clause (1994). In this heartwarming series of films, Allen brings the beloved character to life with his charisma and comedic talent.
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The first installment, released in 1994, follows the story of Scott Calvin, a divorced father who inadvertently becomes the new Santa Claus after the original Santa falls from his roof. Allen’s performance as Scott Calvin captures the essence of Santa Claus, blending humor, warmth, and a touch of magic.
His portrayal has become synonymous with the modern depiction of Santa Claus in popular culture. Throughout the franchise, Allen’s character navigates the challenges and joys of being Santa Claus, delivering presents to children around the world, and ultimately discovering the true meaning of Christmas. Allen’s portrayal of Santa Claus has resonated with audiences of all ages, making him an integral part of the beloved holiday tradition.
The success of the franchise has led Disney to create a new series that premiered in 2022, which finds Scott living as Santa in the North Pole alongside his family. Just coming off of its second season, The Santa Clauses (2022) has been a hit on Disney+ and is a fun, new Christmas addition to holiday binge-watching.
‘The Santa Clauses’ on Disney+
The comedic series features a few prominent names, including Tracy Morgan, Elizabeth Mitchell, Austin Kane, Eric Stonestreet, Gabriel Iglesias, and of course, Tim Allen.
The greatest Santa Claus in Disney history reprises the role alongside hilarious characters like Stonestreet’s Magnus Anta and even a return from David Krumholtz as Bernard the Elf.
Handled by the writers and producers of Modern Family, The Santa Clauses is a gut-splitting addition to the Christmas lore of Scott Calvin, starting back in the early 90s by Disney.
Carson Wilson Calls Tim Allen “F—ing Rude”
In the magical world of Disney, there’s one character who stands out during the holiday season – Santa Claus. Over the years, the portrayal of Santa Claus in various movies and TV shows has left a lasting impression on audiences worldwide. Among the notable actors who have donned the red suit is Tim Allen, known for his remarkable role as Santa Claus in Disney’s The Santa Clause series. However, recent allegations made by Carson Wilson, a controversial figure, have sparked controversy, suggesting that Tim Allen is rude.
Carson Wilson, who plays the adult version of Allen’s daughter in one episode of season 2 of The Santa Clauses, has a different idea of Tim Allen compared to the fun-loving, conservative portrayal fans are used to.
In a recent episode of the actor’s podcast, she calls Tim Allen the “worst, truly single worst experience I’ve ever had with a co-star ever.”
USA Today had this to say regarding comments made by Wilson related to the Toy Story (1995) star, The Gone Girl actor said while in a scene with the Toy Story star where his character — as Santa — comes down the chimney and frightens Sara, Allen made things difficult by complaining about her performance to a producer standing a few feet away from her.
“I basically hear him, he goes, ‘You gotta tell her to stop stepping on my lines,'” Wilson said. “The producer turns to me with horror on his face and has to walk one foot to me, and he goes, ‘Tim would ask that you stopped stepping on his lines.’”
Despite the happy, jolly, generous version of Santa that we’ve all come to know and love, it seems that, according to Wilson, Tim Allen may be more of a Scrooge. As The Santa Clauses season 2 capped another successful venture for the franchise, Disney has green-lit a third installment of the popular Disney+ show.
As Carson Wilson went on to say that Allen “never made eye contact, never said anything. It was so uncomfortable,” it’s likely assumable that she won’t be back for the third season. Carson went on to call Tim Allen plenty of nasty words.
No Stranger to Controversy
Tim Allen, is no stranger to controversy. The typically conservative star has had a few run-ins with the law in the past, as well as recent accusations from superstar Pamela Anderson, who claims that Allen flashed her on set the set of Home Improvement.
Allen, whose most popular work with Disney consists of voicing the extremely popular Buzz Lightyear character from Pixar’s Toy Story, has also come under fire regarding his traditional outlook on life, family, and religion. Allen has been vocal about his position in creating new seasons of The Santa Clauses, forcing reconsiderations of scenes that include monsters and other fantastical creatures. Instead, Allen votes to stay close to the secular ideas of Santa, briefly glossing over the religious undertones of the holiday.
