There are hundreds of Santa Claus movies out there, and each has something unique to offer. The following are a few of the better known movies in different categories or types:
The Santa Clause: Tim Allen plays divorcee Scott Calvin in this movie who finds out his ex wife told their six-year-old son Charlie (Eric Lloyd) that Santa isn’t real. On Christmas Eve, Scott reads The Night Before Christmas to his child, and shortly after finds Santa on his roof. Scott calls out, and causes the Santa to fall off the roof, he then disappears, leaving only an eight-reindeer sleigh and a suit with instructions to put it on if he’s involved in an accident. Scott does, and is transported around the town dropping gifts through chimneys until he’s taken to the North Pole and informed by a group who claim they’re elves that he is now Santa. The rest of the movie is about his acceptance of his new persona, and his attempt to get his family to accept it as well. It is hilarious as his hair turns white, his beard refuses to stay shaved, he gains weight inexplicably, and he has a sudden love of junk food.
The Night Before Christmas: Clement C. Moore wrote the well known poem “The Night Before Christmas.” This movie takes his poem and turns it to life. It is a silent film where the imagery in Moore’s poem take form and thrill generations of children. While a silent film, it is a historical treasure as much of our ideas about Santa today came to life because of this little poem.
A Christmas Past: A collection of nine early movies about Christmas and Santa Claus. This film is great because there are segments, which means you do not have to have a lot of time to enjoy it. It captures many of the speculations about Santa and gives answers to the age old questions about where Rudolph came from, why chimneys, and more.
Santa Claus: The Movie is a straightforward, nondenominational attempt to explore the mysteries of Santa Claus. The idea behind this movie is to answer some of the basic questions many children have about the Santa Claus mythos. For example, how Santa’s reindeer fly, how he and his wife made it to the North Pole and how Santa ascends chimneys, and more. The film chronicles the origins of Santa (David Huddleston), who, along with his wife Anya (Judy Cornwell), goes from being a simple working man to becoming an international icon of Christmas. At the same time, the film also tells a contemporary story in which one of Santa’s elves, a visionary named Patch, sets out to employ Santa’s toymaking methods on his own, unaware that he might be ruining the magic of Christmas in the process. So, it answers questions and introduces something new and fun to set it apart.
As you can see these are just a few examples of the spattering of Santa Claus movies out there. Most take the age old ideas of Santa and throw in a twist such as an elf taking over, a new Santa being introduced, or the disbelief of a child causing problems with Christmas. Go to your local video store and check a few out. You will love watching them and getting into the spirit of Christmas.