Santa Claus: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox Individual | {{Infobox Individual | ||
|alias = {{il|Father Christmas|[[Nicholas of Myra|Saint Nicholas]]|Jeff|Geoff|Sweet Papa Chrimbo|[[Astrolabus]]}} | |||
|alias = {{il|Father Christmas|Saint Nicholas|Jeff | |image = Santa Claus.jpg | ||
|image = | |species = | ||
|species = | |origin = | ||
|origin = | |spouse = Mary Christmas | ||
|first = | |first cs = Untitled (TV21 48 comic story) | ||
|appearances = {{ | |appearances = {{appears}} | ||
|actor = Nick Frost | |||
|voice actor = Peter Sowerbutts | |voice actor = Peter Sowerbutts | ||
| | |clip = "Are You Santa Claus?" - Last Christmas - Doctor Who - BBC | ||
'''Santa Claus''' — also known as '''Father Christmas''' | |clip2 = Santa Claus Makes An EXPLOSIVE Entrance! - Last Christmas - Doctor Who - BBC | ||
|clip3 = The Doctor's Sleigh Ride - Last Christmas - Doctor Who - BBC | |||
|bts = DOCTOR WHO Christmas Special Insider The Doctor vs. Santa - BBC America | |||
}} | |||
'''Santa Claus''' — also known as '''Father Christmas''' ([[COMIC]]: {{cs|Holiday Special (comic story)}}) '''Geoff''', ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Claus-Rosen Bridge (short story)}}) or '''Jeff''', ([[TV]]: {{cs|A Christmas Carol (TV story)}}) — was a legendary figure who distributed presents to good children on [[Christmas Day|Christmas morning]] under their trees. He played an important part in the Christmas tradition on the [[planet]] [[Earth]]. While most sources corrobated that Santa was indeed a real figure, there were some accounts that disputed this and claimed that he was a fictional entity. | |||
According to the [[Thirteenth Doctor]], children all over the [[Earth|world]] believed in Santa, and they all wrote him [[letter]]s with their Christmas [[wish]]es. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Holiday Special (comic story)|Holiday Special]]'') | |||
== Profile == | == Profile == | ||
Santa maintained a workshop where he created | {{Section stub|Much more information from ''[[Iris Wildthyme and the Claws of Santa (audio story)|Iris Wildthyme and the Claws of Santa]]'' needs to be added.}} | ||
Santa maintained a workshop where he created [[toy]]s. It used to be located at the [[North Pole]], but due to the [[aeroplane]]s which began flying over it in the 20th century, it became very noisy, so he moved it to the [[Christmas-land]]. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[A Christmas Story (comic story)|A Christmas Story]]'') In order to deliver presents to all children in a single night, Santa used [[time loop]]s and [[clone]]s of himself. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Man Who (Nearly) Killed Christmas (short story)|The Man Who (Nearly) Killed Christmas]]'') | |||
He was married to [[Mary Christmas]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Iris Wildthyme and the Claws of Santa (audio story)|Iris Wildthyme and the Claws of Santa]]'') | |||
He was distinguished by his [[red]] and [[white]] [[clothing]], known as the [[Santa suit]], ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Holiday Special (comic story)|Holiday Special]]'') which typically included a [[Santa hat]] ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Touched by an Angel (novel)}}) or a [[hood]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Christmas Invasion (TV story)}}, {{cs|The Runaway Bride (TV story)}}) | |||
A young [[Paul Magrs (in-universe)|Paul Magrs]] was once told by [[Mam's sisters (Party Like it's 1979)|his aunts]] that Santa Claus made more than one annual trip, hence why they had presents to give to Paul a week prior to Christmas. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Party Like it's 1979 (short story)|Party Like it's 1979]]'') | |||
Santa | == History as a myth == | ||
According to accounts where Santa Claus were merely a fictional character, this [[myth]] was believed to have been based on [[Saint]] [[Nicholas of Myra]], a [[4th century]] [[bishop]] from [[Asia Minor]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Better Watch Out (audio story)|Better Watch Out]]'', ''[[Fairytale of Salzburg (audio story)|Fairytale of Salzburg]]'') | |||
[[Astrolabus]] claimed to be Santa | [[Christèmas|Father Christèmas]] of [[Faction Paradox]] claimed that the jolly character of Father Christmas was created by [[Ben Jonson]] in the early [[17th century]] to mock Christèmas following a failed deal between the two. The [[Ministry of Insinuation]] were displeased that the idea of Father Christmas went viral. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Weapons Grade Snake Oil (novel)|Weapons Grade Snake Oil]]'') | ||
Whether or not he was real, most adult human beings believed him to be fictitious. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Death in Blackpool (audio story)|Death in Blackpool]]'') For instance, [[Clara Oswald]] ceased believing in him at age nine, dismissing him as a "fairy tale". ([[TV]]: ''[[Last Christmas (TV story)|Last Christmas]]'') According to one account, the reason most people believed him to be a myth was that [[Torchwood One]] was intentionally keeping the truth of his existence secret. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Trace Memory (novel)|Trace Memory]]'') | |||
== Biography == | |||
When confronting the [[Sixth Doctor]] while in his final [[incarnation]], [[Astrolabus]], an exiled [[Time Lord]] [[cartographer]] and [[astrologer]] who claimed to be "legend on a dozen worlds", said that Santa Claus had been one of the names given to him over the years, as well as [[El Diablo]], [[Robin Hood]] and [[Zorro]]. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Voyager (comic story)|Voyager]]'') | |||
[[File:Santa Baby.jpg|thumb|Santa asks the First Doctor for help. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[A Christmas Story (comic story)|A Christmas Story]]'')]] | |||
The [[First Doctor]] visited Santa Claus in his workshop and helped save Christmas. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[A Christmas Story (comic story)|A Christmas Story]]'') | |||
The [[Second Doctor]] warned Santa of a future where the toy workshop spanned over two thousand worlds and the fabric of space was being torn by his time looping. A solution was found involving a fleet of robot Santas and newly calculated, more stable [[wormhole]]s. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Man Who (Nearly) Killed Christmas (short story)|The Man Who (Nearly) Killed Christmas]]'') | |||
The [[Third Doctor]] and [[Sarah Jane Smith]] travelled to [[New York City]] in [[1822]], where they met Saint Nicholas. [[Clement C. Moore]] watched them from his window, and then sat down to write [[Twas the Night Before Christmas]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[A Visit from Saint Nicholas (short story)|A Visit from Saint Nicholas]]'') | |||
Santa helped [[Iris Wildthyme]] save [[Panda]] from [[Mary Christmas]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Iris Wildthyme and the Claws of Santa (audio story)|Iris Wildthyme and the Claws of Santa]]'') | |||
Santa Claus visited [[Paul Magrs (in-universe)|Paul Magrs]] and [[Mam (Fanboys)|his Mam]] in their home on Christmas 1979, to deliver presents, filling the living room. Paul knew that his Mam had done the hard work buying the presents, though he also started to doubt the existence of Santa when he saw a pile of presents ontop of his Mam's [[wardrobe]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Party Like it's 1979 (short story)|Party Like it's 1979]]'') Santa also visited Paul, [[Jeremy (The Stones of Spookiness)|Jeremy]], [[Panda]], and [[Fester Cat|Fester]]'s [[Paul and Jeremy's home|home]] on [[Christmas Eve]] night, [[2006]], delivering presents. The next morning, Paul and Fester woke up early and went into the [[living room]], and upon seeing the presents, Fester was sceptical that Santa had visited. This disbelief was dispelled when Fester caught [[Gleep|a mouse]], and he exclaimed that, in gratitude, he did believe in Santa. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Story of Fester Cat (novel)|The Story of Fester Cat]]'') | |||
The Ninth Doctor promised to take Dr [[Lenni Fisk]]'s son to meet the "real Santa". ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Break the Ice (audio story)|Break the Ice]]'') | |||
[[File:Santa Dr Tenth.jpeg|thumb|left|The Tenth Doctor and Donna mistake Santa for a Roboform. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Dr. Tenth: Christmas Surprise! (novel)|Dr. Tenth: Christmas Surprise!]]'')]] | |||
At some point, the [[Tenth Doctor]] and [[Donna Noble]] met him, after a skirmish with [[Roboform]]s and [[snowmen]]. He replaced [[the Doctor's sonic screwdriver]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Dr. Tenth: Christmas Surprise! (novel)|Dr. Tenth: Christmas Surprise!]]'') | |||
The [[Eleventh Doctor]] helped Santa deal with a group of [[Roboforms (Silent Knight)|Roboforms]], before he used [[The Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]] to help him deliver [[Christmas present]]s to various locations, including [[Amy Pond and Rory Williams' house (The God Complex)|Amy Pond and Rory Williams' house]]. After they where done, Santa gifted the Doctor with another new sonic screwdriver. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Silent Knight (comic story)|Silent Knight]]'') | |||
A shared-dream version of Santa Claus and his [[Elf|elves]] [[Ian (Last Christmas)|Ian]] and [[Wolf (Last Christmas)|the Wolf]], as well as his flying [[reindeer]], appeared in a collective [[dream]] shared by the [[Twelfth Doctor]], [[Clara Oswald]], [[Shona McCullough]], [[Ashley Carter]], [[Albert Smithe]] and [[Rona Bellows]], who were being fed on by [[dream crab]]s. ([[TV]]: ''[[Last Christmas (TV story)|Last Christmas]]'') He first appeared to the Doctor when he entered [[The Doctor's TARDIS|his TARDIS]], and told him that Clara was not happy with their recent separation. ([[TV]]: ''[[Death in Heaven (TV story)|Death in Heaven]]'') According to the Doctor, Father Christmas represented their subconscious minds trying to break free of the induced dream state which was killing them. He appeared to know things about them, like that Shona liked [[My Little Pony]], and also claimed to have watched over and taken care of everyone sharing the dream "from Christmas to Christmas". The group of six rode on Santa's sleigh over [[London]] as they one by one woke up again into the real world. He later appeared again to the Doctor, causing him to realise he was still in a dream and to wake up for real — although as the Doctor and Clara Oswald reunited in the real world and resumed their adventures together, a [[tangerine]], one of Santa's calling card gifts, was seen on her windowsill. ([[TV]]: ''[[Last Christmas (TV story)|Last Christmas]]'') | |||
[[File:Santa in 'Twas.jpg|thumb|right|Santa in panic as his sleigh stops working. ([[WC]]: ''[['Twas the Night Before Christmas (webcast)|'Twas the Night Before Christmas]]'')]] | |||
One [[24 December|Christmas Eve]], the [[Thirteenth Doctor]] lent Santa [[The Doctor's TARDIS|her TARDIS]] when his [[sleigh]] stopped working. ([[WC]]: ''[['Twas the Night Before Christmas (webcast)|'Twas the Night Before Christmas]]'') | |||
== Impersonations == | == Impersonations == | ||
The [[Fourth Doctor]] dressed as Santa and sneaked into [[Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart|the Brigadier's]] house with [[Romana II]] in order to leave him a [[Christmas present]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Better Watch Out, Better Take Care (short story)|Better Watch Out, Better Take Care]]'') | |||
In [[Newton Aycliffe]], the council employed a "[[Council Van Santa]]" to go around the streets and spread festivities. There were [[ETA]]s printed in [[Newton News|the local newspaper]]. While the older kids threw [[snow]]balls at "Santa"'s van, everybody else apprecated "Santa". ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Party Like it's 1979 (short story)|Party Like it's 1979]]'') | |||
On [[24 December]] [[2006]], Rose and [[Mickey Smith]] encountered dangerous [[Robot Santa|"pilot fish" disguised as Santas]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Christmas Invasion (TV story)|The Christmas Invasion]]'') | |||
On 24 December [[2007]], the same robots, now under control of the [[Empress of the Racnoss (The Runaway Bride)|Empress of the Racnoss]], attacked [[Donna Noble]] and [[Lance Bennett]]'s wedding reception. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Runaway Bride (TV story)|The Runaway Bride]]'') | |||
On 24 December [[2008]], the [[Eighth Doctor]], [[Lucie Miller]] and [[Haygoth]] ran into [[Father Christmas (Death in Blackpool)|a drunken man]] whose job was to impersonate Santa Claus. However, he was fired for being "too old". ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Death in Blackpool (audio story)|Death in Blackpool]]'') | |||
[[Danny Pink]] dressed as Santa Claus on Christmas Day in a [[dream crab]]-induced dream [[Clara Oswald]] was in. When she asked what day it was, he briefly joked that it was [[Easter]] and that he was dressed up as "Father Easter". Danny was in reality dead at this point in her timeline. ([[TV]]: ''[[Last Christmas (TV story)|Last Christmas]]'') | |||
[[Krampus (mythology)|Krampus]] took on Santa's appearance while under the guise of "Mr. Henderson". ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Holiday Special (comic story)|Holiday Special]]'') | |||
== References == | == References == | ||
In [[workplace]]s, [[colleague]]s known as "[[Secret Santa]]s" gave each other gifts. ([[TV]]: ''[[Kill the Moon (TV story)|Kill the Moon]]'') | |||
The Second Doctor once recalled being excited to see what Father Christmas had brought him on Christmas, as a [[The Doctor's early life|boy]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Celestial Toyshop (short story)|The Celestial Toyshop]]'') | |||
{{ | When [[Clare Keightley]] first encountered the [[Fourth Doctor]], she felt a wave of familiarity and [[trust]], "[as though] he was as familiar as Father Christmas or [[Winnie-the-Pooh]]", mainstays from her [[childhood]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Shada (novelisation)|Shada]]'') | ||
{{ | |||
[[Category: | [[Emma (The Curse of Fatal Death)|Emma]], when she believed [[the Handsome Doctor]] was going to [[death|die]] without hope of [[regeneration]], likened him to Father Christmas, [[Oscar Diggs|the Wizard of Oz]], and [[Scooby-Doo (character)|Scooby-Doo]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Curse of Fatal Death (TV story)|The Curse of Fatal Death]]'') | ||
The [[Ninth Doctor]] hinted that he was Santa Claus and he had delivered a red bicycle to [[Rose Tyler]] when she was twelve years old. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Doctor Dances (TV story)|The Doctor Dances]]'') | |||
[[Bayldon Copper]], who had a phony [[Earthonomics]] degree from [[Mrs Golightly's Happy Travelling University and Dry Cleaners]] on the planet [[Sto]], incorrectly told the passengers of the ''[[Titanic (spaceship)|Titanic]]'' that Earth worshipped a god named "Santa" and his wife Mary. Santa was described as a beast with fearsome claws (Santa ''Claus''). ([[TV]]: ''[[Voyage of the Damned (TV story)|Voyage of the Damned]]'') | |||
On [[23 November]] [[1963]], the five-year-old [[Kevin Dovie]] wondered if the TARDIS, which landed on the roof of his home in [[Totton]], [[Hampshire]], belonged to Father Christmas. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Light at the End (audio story)|The Light at the End]]'') | |||
In [[April]] [[1996]], [[Amy Pond|Amelia Pond]] once prayed to Santa to do something about [[Time Field|the crack]] in her bedroom wall. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Eleventh Hour (TV story)|The Eleventh Hour]]'') | |||
When the [[Eleventh Doctor]] jumped down a chimney in the [[44th century]], he told a child that the "fat fella" would be down later. He showed the child a picture of himself, Santa and [[Albert Einstein]] at [[Frank Sinatra]]'s hunting lodge as proof, adding that he knew Santa as "Jeff"; ([[TV]]: ''[[A Christmas Carol (TV story)|A Christmas Carol]]'') "Geoff" was the name by which [[Time Lord|his kind]] knew him. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Claus-Rosen Bridge (short story)}}) | |||
When a young [[Grant (The Return of Doctor Mysterio)|Grant]] asked his mother if the "[[Twelfth Doctor|old guy]]" at his bedroom window could come inside, she, thinking Grant was referring to Santa Claus, told him that the man was expected and that he could come in. When the Doctor realised this, he chuckled, "Ho ho ho ho" and wished Grant a merry Christmas. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Return of Doctor Mysterio (TV story)|The Return of Doctor Mysterio]]'') | |||
When [[Ryan Sinclair]] asked the [[Thirteenth Doctor]] if Santa was real, she cryptically told him that by some measure, "you could say that Santa is '''more''' real than any of us". ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Holiday Special (comic story)|Holiday Special]]'') | |||
While trapped in the [[Time Vortex]], {{Roberts}} managed to make contact with Earth at Christmas-time, and he offered to bring whoever set him free "gifts that [they] never dreamed, things [they] never even knew [they] wanted", like Santa Claus. ([[WC]]: {{cs|The Master wants to be your Santa Claus (webcast)}}) | |||
== In popular culture == | |||
''[[Santa Claus: The Movie]]'' was a film starring [[Dudley Moore]], about Santa and his elves. The film ''[[Miracle on 34th Street]]'' also featured him. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Ian the Elf (short story)|Ian the Elf]]'') | |||
Santa, referred to here as Father Christmas, also appeared in the [[1982]] animated film, ''[[The Snowman]]'', in which he danced with the titular character. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Doctor on My Shoulder (short story)|The Doctor on My Shoulder]]'') | |||
== Behind the scenes == | |||
[[File:Santa, the Eleventh Doctor, Albert Einstein, and Marilyn Monroe.jpg|thumb|Santa Clause, the Eleventh Doctor, Albert Einstein, and Marilyn Monroe? ([[TV]]: ''[[A Christmas Carol (TV story)|A Christmas Carol]]'')]] | |||
* Santa Claus and Father Christmas have different origins, and were technically once considered different individuals. However, as in modern day, the character portrayed by [[Nick Frost]] in the television stories ''[[Death in Heaven (TV story)|Death in Heaven]]'' and ''[[Last Christmas (TV story)|Last Christmas]]'' is identified in the closing credits as Santa Claus, and referred to in dialogue in ''Last Christmas'' with both names. ''[[A Christmas Carol (TV story)|A Christmas Carol]]'' also has the Eleventh Doctor describe the "fat fella" with both names. | |||
* In ''A Christmas Carol'', the Eleventh Doctor shows a boy a photograph of himself at [[Frank Sinatra]]'s hunting lodge in 1952 with Santa Claus and Albert Einstein. There is also a third individual who appears to be [[Marilyn Monroe]] but is not named by the Doctor. (The Doctor later takes Kazran to Sinatra's lodge in 1952, where he accidentally proposes to Monroe.) Curiously, the Doctor refers to Einstein as "the blonde". The Doctor seeming to conflate the two may be a reference to the famous {{w|hybrid image|optical illusion of Einstein and Monroe}}. | |||
* In ''[[An Adventure in Space and Time (TV story)|An Adventure in Space and Time]]'', [[Verity Lambert]] ([[Jessica Raine]]) describes the First Doctor as "[[C. S. Lewis]] meets [[H. G. Wells]] meets Father Christmas". | |||
* According to writer [[Steven Moffat]], "Everything except the very last scene" of ''[[Last Christmas (TV story)|Last Christmas]]'' "is a dream" and "[t]he tangerine represents the fact that Santa Claus obviously stage-managed the whole thing to get the [Twelfth] Doctor and [[Clara Oswald|Clara]] back together."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cultbox.co.uk/news/headlines/doctor-who-writer-moffat-confirms-what-was-real-in-last-christmas |title='Doctor Who' writer Moffat confirms what was real in ''"Last Christmas"'' |author=Stewart, Malcolm |date of source=25 December 2014 |website name=CultBox |accessdate=14 January 2015}}</ref> | |||
=== References in invalid sources === | |||
[[File:Santa neon lights.jpg|left|thumb|A [[neon]] light illustration of Santa in his [[sleigh]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[2016 BBC Christmas ident]]'')]] | |||
A message beginning with "Dear Santa" was present in [[Living room (2016 BBC Christmas ident)|a room]] where [[Child 1 (2016 BBC Christmas ident)|a child]] watched ([[TV]]: ''[[2016 BBC Christmas ident]]'') the [[Twelfth Doctor (fictional character)|Twelfth Doctor]]-era ''[[Doctor Who (in-universe)|Doctor Who]]'' [[episode]] "''[[Heaven Sent (in-universe)|Heaven Sent]]''" ([[WC]]: ''[[The Zygon Isolation (webcast)|The Zygon Isolation]]'') on a [[Television|TV]] with [[Mother (2016 BBC Christmas ident)|their mother]]. A [[neon]] light with an image of Santa in his [[sleigh]] was also present on the outside of [[Café (2016 BBC Christmas ident)|a café]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[2016 BBC Christmas ident]]'') | |||
=== Magazine covers === | |||
Santa is a frequently depicted subject on the covers of the yearly Christmas double issues of several British TV and radio guide publications. On some of these occasions, he has been depicted alongside elements from the DWU. | |||
[[File:RT2009 Christmas.jpg|thumb|Santa on the cover of [[RT 4469]], with a Dalek toy.]] | |||
* On ''[[Radio Times]]'' [[RT 4469|issue 4469]], one of two alternate covers depict him playing with a wind-up [[Dalek]] toy. | |||
* ''[[TV & Satellite Week]]'' often depicts Santa on their Christmas covers. | |||
** The [[2014 (releases)|2014]] issue features him sitting in front of a [[Christmas tree]] on which an ornament of [[The Doctor's TARDIS|the Doctor's TARDIS]] can be clearly seen. | |||
** The [[2015 (releases)|2015]] issue shows Santa with an open sack of toys. One of the toys clearly visible is one of the Doctor's TARDIS. | |||
** The [[2017 (releases)|2017]] issue depicts Santa flying in his [[sleigh]], as the TARDIS can be seen flying past the moon in the distance. | |||
** The [[2018 (releases)|2018]] issue shows Santa holding a [[snowglobe]] up to the viewer, within which the [[Thirteenth Doctor]] can be seen alongside [[John Luther]], [[Agnes Brown]], and [https://callthemidwife.fandom.com/wiki/Beatrix_Aylward Beatrix Aylward]. | |||
=== Portrayals in other media === | |||
[[Frank Welker]] voiced Santa on four occasions, in the television specials {{wi|A Chipmunk Christmas}} (1981), {{wi|A Wish For Wings That Work}} (1991), and {{wi|Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas}} (1992), and in the 2002 {{wi|Evil Con Carne}} episode, ''Christmas Con Carne''. He also voiced a department store Santa in the 1995 {{wi|Freakazoid!}} episode ''In Arms Way''. | |||
[[John DiMaggio]] played the evil [https://futurama.fandom.com/wiki/Robot_Santa_Claus robot Santa] in various episodes of ''[[Futurama]]''. | |||
[[John de Lancie]] voiced Santa in the 2009 TV special, ''Elf Sparkle Meets Christmas the Horse''. | |||
[[William Morgan Sheppard]] voiced Santa in the 2009 Disney animated TV special {{wi|Prep & Landing}}. He reprised the role in the 2011 {{w|Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice|sequel}}, as well as in a 2010 {{w|Operation: Secret Santa — A Prep & Landing Stocking Stuffer|short film}}. | |||
[[Jim Broadbent]] has played Santa in film twice: voice only in the 2011 animated film {{wi|Arthur Christmas}} (which also featured [[Bill Nighy]] as "Grand-Santa") and on screen in the 2014 film {{wi|Get Santa}}. He also portrayed him in {{w|Aldi}}'s 2020 Christmas advert. | |||
[[Brian Blessed]] has played Santa at least three times: {{wi|The Amazing World of Gumball}} episode "Christmas" (2012; voice only), the {{wi|Sooty 2011 TV series|Sooty}} episode "Pranks and Presents" (2013), and the ''[[Danger Mouse]]'' episode "The Snowman Cometh" (2015; voice only). | |||
[[Will Sasso]] played Santa in the 2012 made-for-TV film, [https://m.imdb.com/title/tt2543818/ ''Finding Mrs. Claus'']. | |||
[[Hugh Bonneville]] has voiced Santa twice: in the 2015 animated TV special {{wi|Stick Man}}, and in the {{wi|DuckTales (2017 TV series)|DuckTales (2017)}} episode, ''How Santa Stole Christmas!'' | |||
[[Ernie Hudson]] voiced him in the 2021 TV special, ''Beebo Saves Christmas''. | |||
== External links == | |||
{{Dwlx}} | |||
== Footnotes == | |||
{{reflist}} | |||
[[Category:Santa Claus| ]] | |||
[[Category:Unique beings]] | [[Category:Unique beings]] | ||
[[Category:Identities of Astrolabus]] | |||
[[Category:Fictional characters from the real world]] | [[Category:Fictional characters from the real world]] | ||
[[Category:20th century individuals]] | |||
[[Category:21st century individuals]] | |||
[[Category:44th century individuals]] | |||
[[Category:Gifts and giving]] | |||
[[Category:Dream content]] | |||
[[Category:Myths and legends from the real world]] | |||
[[Category:Individuals who have been inside the Doctor's TARDIS]] | |||
[[Category:Christmas]] | [[Category:Christmas]] | ||
Latest revision as of 19:09, 13 September 2024
Santa Claus — also known as Father Christmas (COMIC: Holiday Special [+]Loading...["Holiday Special (comic story)"]) Geoff, (PROSE: The Claus-Rosen Bridge [+]Loading...["The Claus-Rosen Bridge (short story)"]) or Jeff, (TV: A Christmas Carol [+]Loading...["A Christmas Carol (TV story)"]) — was a legendary figure who distributed presents to good children on Christmas morning under their trees. He played an important part in the Christmas tradition on the planet Earth. While most sources corrobated that Santa was indeed a real figure, there were some accounts that disputed this and claimed that he was a fictional entity.
According to the Thirteenth Doctor, children all over the world believed in Santa, and they all wrote him letters with their Christmas wishes. (COMIC: Holiday Special)
Profile[[edit] | [edit source]]
Much more information from Iris Wildthyme and the Claws of Santa needs to be added.
Santa maintained a workshop where he created toys. It used to be located at the North Pole, but due to the aeroplanes which began flying over it in the 20th century, it became very noisy, so he moved it to the Christmas-land. (COMIC: A Christmas Story) In order to deliver presents to all children in a single night, Santa used time loops and clones of himself. (PROSE: The Man Who (Nearly) Killed Christmas)
He was married to Mary Christmas. (AUDIO: Iris Wildthyme and the Claws of Santa)
He was distinguished by his red and white clothing, known as the Santa suit, (COMIC: Holiday Special) which typically included a Santa hat (PROSE: Touched by an Angel [+]Loading...["Touched by an Angel (novel)"]) or a hood. (TV: The Christmas Invasion [+]Loading...["The Christmas Invasion (TV story)"], The Runaway Bride [+]Loading...["The Runaway Bride (TV story)"])
A young Paul Magrs was once told by his aunts that Santa Claus made more than one annual trip, hence why they had presents to give to Paul a week prior to Christmas. (PROSE: Party Like it's 1979)
History as a myth[[edit] | [edit source]]
According to accounts where Santa Claus were merely a fictional character, this myth was believed to have been based on Saint Nicholas of Myra, a 4th century bishop from Asia Minor. (AUDIO: Better Watch Out, Fairytale of Salzburg)
Father Christèmas of Faction Paradox claimed that the jolly character of Father Christmas was created by Ben Jonson in the early 17th century to mock Christèmas following a failed deal between the two. The Ministry of Insinuation were displeased that the idea of Father Christmas went viral. (PROSE: Weapons Grade Snake Oil)
Whether or not he was real, most adult human beings believed him to be fictitious. (AUDIO: Death in Blackpool) For instance, Clara Oswald ceased believing in him at age nine, dismissing him as a "fairy tale". (TV: Last Christmas) According to one account, the reason most people believed him to be a myth was that Torchwood One was intentionally keeping the truth of his existence secret. (PROSE: Trace Memory)
Biography[[edit] | [edit source]]
When confronting the Sixth Doctor while in his final incarnation, Astrolabus, an exiled Time Lord cartographer and astrologer who claimed to be "legend on a dozen worlds", said that Santa Claus had been one of the names given to him over the years, as well as El Diablo, Robin Hood and Zorro. (COMIC: Voyager)
The First Doctor visited Santa Claus in his workshop and helped save Christmas. (COMIC: A Christmas Story)
The Second Doctor warned Santa of a future where the toy workshop spanned over two thousand worlds and the fabric of space was being torn by his time looping. A solution was found involving a fleet of robot Santas and newly calculated, more stable wormholes. (PROSE: The Man Who (Nearly) Killed Christmas)
The Third Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith travelled to New York City in 1822, where they met Saint Nicholas. Clement C. Moore watched them from his window, and then sat down to write Twas the Night Before Christmas. (PROSE: A Visit from Saint Nicholas)
Santa helped Iris Wildthyme save Panda from Mary Christmas. (AUDIO: Iris Wildthyme and the Claws of Santa)
Santa Claus visited Paul Magrs and his Mam in their home on Christmas 1979, to deliver presents, filling the living room. Paul knew that his Mam had done the hard work buying the presents, though he also started to doubt the existence of Santa when he saw a pile of presents ontop of his Mam's wardrobe. (PROSE: Party Like it's 1979) Santa also visited Paul, Jeremy, Panda, and Fester's home on Christmas Eve night, 2006, delivering presents. The next morning, Paul and Fester woke up early and went into the living room, and upon seeing the presents, Fester was sceptical that Santa had visited. This disbelief was dispelled when Fester caught a mouse, and he exclaimed that, in gratitude, he did believe in Santa. (PROSE: The Story of Fester Cat)
The Ninth Doctor promised to take Dr Lenni Fisk's son to meet the "real Santa". (AUDIO: Break the Ice)
At some point, the Tenth Doctor and Donna Noble met him, after a skirmish with Roboforms and snowmen. He replaced the Doctor's sonic screwdriver. (PROSE: Dr. Tenth: Christmas Surprise!)
The Eleventh Doctor helped Santa deal with a group of Roboforms, before he used the TARDIS to help him deliver Christmas presents to various locations, including Amy Pond and Rory Williams' house. After they where done, Santa gifted the Doctor with another new sonic screwdriver. (COMIC: Silent Knight)
A shared-dream version of Santa Claus and his elves Ian and the Wolf, as well as his flying reindeer, appeared in a collective dream shared by the Twelfth Doctor, Clara Oswald, Shona McCullough, Ashley Carter, Albert Smithe and Rona Bellows, who were being fed on by dream crabs. (TV: Last Christmas) He first appeared to the Doctor when he entered his TARDIS, and told him that Clara was not happy with their recent separation. (TV: Death in Heaven) According to the Doctor, Father Christmas represented their subconscious minds trying to break free of the induced dream state which was killing them. He appeared to know things about them, like that Shona liked My Little Pony, and also claimed to have watched over and taken care of everyone sharing the dream "from Christmas to Christmas". The group of six rode on Santa's sleigh over London as they one by one woke up again into the real world. He later appeared again to the Doctor, causing him to realise he was still in a dream and to wake up for real — although as the Doctor and Clara Oswald reunited in the real world and resumed their adventures together, a tangerine, one of Santa's calling card gifts, was seen on her windowsill. (TV: Last Christmas)
One Christmas Eve, the Thirteenth Doctor lent Santa her TARDIS when his sleigh stopped working. (WC: 'Twas the Night Before Christmas)
Impersonations[[edit] | [edit source]]
The Fourth Doctor dressed as Santa and sneaked into the Brigadier's house with Romana II in order to leave him a Christmas present. (PROSE: Better Watch Out, Better Take Care)
In Newton Aycliffe, the council employed a "Council Van Santa" to go around the streets and spread festivities. There were ETAs printed in the local newspaper. While the older kids threw snowballs at "Santa"'s van, everybody else apprecated "Santa". (PROSE: Party Like it's 1979)
On 24 December 2006, Rose and Mickey Smith encountered dangerous "pilot fish" disguised as Santas. (TV: The Christmas Invasion)
On 24 December 2007, the same robots, now under control of the Empress of the Racnoss, attacked Donna Noble and Lance Bennett's wedding reception. (TV: The Runaway Bride)
On 24 December 2008, the Eighth Doctor, Lucie Miller and Haygoth ran into a drunken man whose job was to impersonate Santa Claus. However, he was fired for being "too old". (AUDIO: Death in Blackpool)
Danny Pink dressed as Santa Claus on Christmas Day in a dream crab-induced dream Clara Oswald was in. When she asked what day it was, he briefly joked that it was Easter and that he was dressed up as "Father Easter". Danny was in reality dead at this point in her timeline. (TV: Last Christmas)
Krampus took on Santa's appearance while under the guise of "Mr. Henderson". (COMIC: Holiday Special)
References[[edit] | [edit source]]
In workplaces, colleagues known as "Secret Santas" gave each other gifts. (TV: Kill the Moon)
The Second Doctor once recalled being excited to see what Father Christmas had brought him on Christmas, as a boy. (PROSE: The Celestial Toyshop)
When Clare Keightley first encountered the Fourth Doctor, she felt a wave of familiarity and trust, "[as though] he was as familiar as Father Christmas or Winnie-the-Pooh", mainstays from her childhood. (PROSE: Shada)
Emma, when she believed the Handsome Doctor was going to die without hope of regeneration, likened him to Father Christmas, the Wizard of Oz, and Scooby-Doo. (TV: The Curse of Fatal Death)
The Ninth Doctor hinted that he was Santa Claus and he had delivered a red bicycle to Rose Tyler when she was twelve years old. (TV: The Doctor Dances)
Bayldon Copper, who had a phony Earthonomics degree from Mrs Golightly's Happy Travelling University and Dry Cleaners on the planet Sto, incorrectly told the passengers of the Titanic that Earth worshipped a god named "Santa" and his wife Mary. Santa was described as a beast with fearsome claws (Santa Claus). (TV: Voyage of the Damned)
On 23 November 1963, the five-year-old Kevin Dovie wondered if the TARDIS, which landed on the roof of his home in Totton, Hampshire, belonged to Father Christmas. (AUDIO: The Light at the End)
In April 1996, Amelia Pond once prayed to Santa to do something about the crack in her bedroom wall. (TV: The Eleventh Hour)
When the Eleventh Doctor jumped down a chimney in the 44th century, he told a child that the "fat fella" would be down later. He showed the child a picture of himself, Santa and Albert Einstein at Frank Sinatra's hunting lodge as proof, adding that he knew Santa as "Jeff"; (TV: A Christmas Carol) "Geoff" was the name by which his kind knew him. (PROSE: The Claus-Rosen Bridge [+]Loading...["The Claus-Rosen Bridge (short story)"])
When a young Grant asked his mother if the "old guy" at his bedroom window could come inside, she, thinking Grant was referring to Santa Claus, told him that the man was expected and that he could come in. When the Doctor realised this, he chuckled, "Ho ho ho ho" and wished Grant a merry Christmas. (TV: The Return of Doctor Mysterio)
When Ryan Sinclair asked the Thirteenth Doctor if Santa was real, she cryptically told him that by some measure, "you could say that Santa is more real than any of us". (COMIC: Holiday Special)
While trapped in the Time Vortex, the Bruce Master managed to make contact with Earth at Christmas-time, and he offered to bring whoever set him free "gifts that [they] never dreamed, things [they] never even knew [they] wanted", like Santa Claus. (WC: The Master wants to be your Santa Claus [+]Loading...["The Master wants to be your Santa Claus (webcast)"])
In popular culture[[edit] | [edit source]]
Santa Claus: The Movie was a film starring Dudley Moore, about Santa and his elves. The film Miracle on 34th Street also featured him. (PROSE: Ian the Elf)
Santa, referred to here as Father Christmas, also appeared in the 1982 animated film, The Snowman, in which he danced with the titular character. (PROSE: The Doctor on My Shoulder)
Behind the scenes[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Santa Claus and Father Christmas have different origins, and were technically once considered different individuals. However, as in modern day, the character portrayed by Nick Frost in the television stories Death in Heaven and Last Christmas is identified in the closing credits as Santa Claus, and referred to in dialogue in Last Christmas with both names. A Christmas Carol also has the Eleventh Doctor describe the "fat fella" with both names.
- In A Christmas Carol, the Eleventh Doctor shows a boy a photograph of himself at Frank Sinatra's hunting lodge in 1952 with Santa Claus and Albert Einstein. There is also a third individual who appears to be Marilyn Monroe but is not named by the Doctor. (The Doctor later takes Kazran to Sinatra's lodge in 1952, where he accidentally proposes to Monroe.) Curiously, the Doctor refers to Einstein as "the blonde". The Doctor seeming to conflate the two may be a reference to the famous optical illusion of Einstein and Monroe.
- In An Adventure in Space and Time, Verity Lambert (Jessica Raine) describes the First Doctor as "C. S. Lewis meets H. G. Wells meets Father Christmas".
- According to writer Steven Moffat, "Everything except the very last scene" of Last Christmas "is a dream" and "[t]he tangerine represents the fact that Santa Claus obviously stage-managed the whole thing to get the [Twelfth] Doctor and Clara back together."[1]
References in invalid sources[[edit] | [edit source]]
A message beginning with "Dear Santa" was present in a room where a child watched (TV: 2016 BBC Christmas ident) the Twelfth Doctor-era Doctor Who episode "Heaven Sent" (WC: The Zygon Isolation) on a TV with their mother. A neon light with an image of Santa in his sleigh was also present on the outside of a café. (TV: 2016 BBC Christmas ident)
Magazine covers[[edit] | [edit source]]
Santa is a frequently depicted subject on the covers of the yearly Christmas double issues of several British TV and radio guide publications. On some of these occasions, he has been depicted alongside elements from the DWU.
- On Radio Times issue 4469, one of two alternate covers depict him playing with a wind-up Dalek toy.
- TV & Satellite Week often depicts Santa on their Christmas covers.
- The 2014 issue features him sitting in front of a Christmas tree on which an ornament of the Doctor's TARDIS can be clearly seen.
- The 2015 issue shows Santa with an open sack of toys. One of the toys clearly visible is one of the Doctor's TARDIS.
- The 2017 issue depicts Santa flying in his sleigh, as the TARDIS can be seen flying past the moon in the distance.
- The 2018 issue shows Santa holding a snowglobe up to the viewer, within which the Thirteenth Doctor can be seen alongside John Luther, Agnes Brown, and Beatrix Aylward.
Portrayals in other media[[edit] | [edit source]]
Frank Welker voiced Santa on four occasions, in the television specials A Chipmunk Christmas (1981), A Wish For Wings That Work (1991), and Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas (1992), and in the 2002 Evil Con Carne episode, Christmas Con Carne. He also voiced a department store Santa in the 1995 Freakazoid! episode In Arms Way.
John DiMaggio played the evil robot Santa in various episodes of Futurama.
John de Lancie voiced Santa in the 2009 TV special, Elf Sparkle Meets Christmas the Horse.
William Morgan Sheppard voiced Santa in the 2009 Disney animated TV special Prep & Landing. He reprised the role in the 2011 sequel, as well as in a 2010 short film.
Jim Broadbent has played Santa in film twice: voice only in the 2011 animated film Arthur Christmas (which also featured Bill Nighy as "Grand-Santa") and on screen in the 2014 film Get Santa. He also portrayed him in Aldi's 2020 Christmas advert.
Brian Blessed has played Santa at least three times: The Amazing World of Gumball episode "Christmas" (2012; voice only), the Sooty episode "Pranks and Presents" (2013), and the Danger Mouse episode "The Snowman Cometh" (2015; voice only).
Will Sasso played Santa in the 2012 made-for-TV film, Finding Mrs. Claus.
Hugh Bonneville has voiced Santa twice: in the 2015 animated TV special Stick Man, and in the DuckTales (2017) episode, How Santa Stole Christmas!
Ernie Hudson voiced him in the 2021 TV special, Beebo Saves Christmas.
External links[[edit] | [edit source]]
Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]
- ↑ Stewart, Malcolm (25 December 2014). 'Doctor Who' writer Moffat confirms what was real in "Last Christmas". CultBox. Retrieved on 14 January 2015.
