Santa Claus
From Muppet Wiki
Santa Claus is a traditional, secular figure of Christmas good cheer, generally depicted as a jolly fat, old man in a red suit. Other nations have their own variations, such as Father Christmas in England and Sinterklaas in the Netherlands. Santa has appeared in several Muppet/Sesame Street specials over the years, portrayed by different human actors and occasionally depicted as a Muppet. Muppet characters have sometimes felt the urge to don the familiar beard as well.
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Santa Claus as a character
| Picture | Portrayer | Production | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Arthur Godfrey | The Ed Sullivan Show, December 24, 1967 | Santa appears alongside Scudge, Gleep, and other monsters in a brief holiday sketch. Set entirely in his workshop, the monsters attempt to steal toys until Santa shows them kindness by giving them the playthings as a present. |
 | Unknown | Hey Cinderella! | "Santa Claus" appeared as one of the ball guests, telling one of the Stepsisters that she reminded him of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. |
 | Art Carney | The Great Santa Claus Switch | This was Santa's first extended appearance in a Muppet production. Santa is an amiable figure, kind even to Cosmo Scam. He is also a hopeless amateur magician, forever practicing card tricks. |
 | Unknown | Fraggle Rock "Manny's Land of Carpets" | Uncle Traveling Matt encounters a department store Santa, who he assumes is a magical wish giving creature. |
 | unknown | Elmo Saves Christmas | A goodwill Santa stands in front of The Furry Arms Hotel. |
 | Charles Durning | Elmo Saves Christmas | This Santa is rather crotchety and frustrated by the side effects of Elmo's wish. He also gets to sing "If Everyday Were Christmas." |
 | Charles Edward Hall | Elmo's World: Happy Holidays | Elmo pays a visit to Santa, near the end of the special. |
 | Dave "Squatch" Ward | It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie | Fozzie runs into a compassionate Salvation Army Santa, and accidentally leaves his sack of money with him by mistake. |
 | Unknown | It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie | In a deleted scene, a jolly Santa, apparently convinced he's the real thing, regretfully informs Kermit that he can't appear in their big holiday production. |
 | Kevin James | Elmo's Christmas Countdown | Kevin James shows another side of Santa Claus when he is issued a speeding ticket. |
 | Frank Oz | Sesame Street News Flash | A Pumpkin Anything Muppet appears as Santa Claus, apparently unsure of his own identity. |
 | Unknown | Sesame Street News Flash | In another News Flash sketch, Kermit the Frog interviews a Fat Blue Santa, asking how he gets down the chimney. |
Characters dressing as Santa Claus
| Picture | Portrayer | Production | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Bert | Peter Alexander präsentiert Spezialitäten | Bert as Santa in this German TV special from 1975. |
 | Bert and Ernie | Sesame Street Magazine, December 1977 | Bert and Ernie collaborate as Santa Claus. |
 | The Big Bad Wolf | Muppet Classic Theatre | The wolf dresses as Santa to infiltrate Sandy Pig's home. |
 | Bobo the Bear | It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie | Bobo is asked to fill in for the absent Santa. |
 | Cookie Monster | Elmo Saves Christmas | Cookie Monster dresses as Santa in order to trick Elmo out of his plate of cookies. |
 | Cosmo Scam | The Great Santa Claus Switch | Cosmo Scam poses as Santa. |
 | Doc | A Muppet Family Christmas | Doc appears as Santa at the end of the special, passing out presents. |
 | Doc Hogg | Bear in the Big Blue House "A Berry Bear Christmas" | Doc appears as "Santa Hogg" at the Woodland Valley Mall. |
 | Ernie | Sesame Street calendar, unknown year | Ernie appears as Santa, with Bert as his reindeer. |
 | Fozzie Bear | Muppet Magazine issue 5 | Fozzie dresses as Santa for the Muppet Magazine Christmas party. |
 | Gonzo | episode 517 of The Muppet Show | Gonzo's chickens play the part of Santa's reindeer in a holiday mix-up medley. |
 | Herry Monster | Elmo's Delicious Christmas | Herry dresses as Santa Claus to help collect toys and food for needy families. |
 | Kermit the Frog | Hallmark wall decoration | Kermit dresses as Santa, with Miss Piggy holidng mistletoe over his head, on this 1977 wall decoration by Hallmark. |
 | Kermit the Frog | The Christmas Toy | Kermit delivered his traditional holiday introduction for The Christmas Toy after climbing down the chimney. |
 | Kermit the Frog | Santa Kermit doll | Released in 1990 by "Presents," a division of Hamilton Gifts. |
 | Miss Piggy | "Kermit's Christmas Diary", Jim Henson's Muppets Annual 1982 | Santa Claus can't make it for Christmas Day, so Miss Piggy cheers up Robin by dressing up as "Mother Christmas." |
 | Mr. Snuffleupagus | Christmas Eve on Sesame Street | Snuffy assumes the role of Santa for scientific purposes, in an attempt to demonstrate how someone as large as Santa can fit down a tiny chimney. |
 | Oscar the Grouch | A Sesame Street Christmas Carol | |
 | The Swedish Chef | Palisades Toys | The Santa Chef Action Figure was released as Palisades' 2004 holiday figure. |
 | Taminella Grinderfall | Tales of the Tinkerdee | Tammy poses as Santa as part of her scheme to steal Princess Gwendolinda's birthday presents. |
 | Two-Headed Monster | A Muppet Family Christmas | The Monster plays jolly Saint Nick in the Sesame Street gang's Christmas pageant. |
 | Waldorf | Muppet Magazine issue 17 | Waldorf plays the role of Santa in the Muppet Babies comic book adaptation of "A Visit from St. Nicholas". |
 | Whatnot | episode 305 of The Muppet Show | Appears during the line "everything's coming up sunshine and Santa Claus..." |
 | Wilkins | Wilkins Coffee commercial | Wilkins plays Santa, with Wontkins as his reindeer. |
Santa Claus in books
Big Bird relaxes with Santa and Mrs. Claus in Big Bird Meets Santa Claus
Santa Claus appears in a number of Muppet and Sesame Street books, including:
- A Sesame Street Christmas
- The Amazing Mumford Forgets the Magic Words!
- Baby Kermit's Christmas
- Big Bird Meets Santa Claus
- Big Bird's Red Book
- Elmo's Night Before Christmas
- Santa Visits the Big Blue House
The Sesame characters visit Santa Claus at P.C. Nickles Department Store in:
Muppet characters also pretend to be Santa in other books:
- Baby Fozzie in Ho-Ho-Ho, Baby Fozzie
- Cookie Monster in Pop Goes the Santa!
- Kermit the Frog in A Very Muppet Christmas
References
- In the lyrics of "Can You Picture That" from The Muppet Movie, Floyd Pepper and Janice sing that "even Santa Claus believes in you."
- In an early version of "The People in Your Neighborhood," an Anything Muppet claims that, with a fireman's hat on, he could be Santa Claus.
- In Christmas Eve on Sesame Street, Oscar asks Big Bird and Patty how Santa Claus can deliver presents on Christmas Eve if he can't fit through the narrow chimneys on Sesame Street. Kermit and Grover interview various kids on the subject trying to help solve the mystery. Eventually, Big Bird decides to stay up all night on the roof to wait for Santa Claus. Although jingle bells and footsteps are heard when Big Bird falls asleep, Santa Claus is not actually seen. Meanwhile, Cookie Monster tries repeatedly to write a letter to Santa Claus, and speaks to him by shouting into his belly after having eaten the telephone on which he had dialed Santa's number.
Connections
The following actors, who have appeared in Muppet/Henson productions, have portrayed Santa in other film or television appearances.
- Ed Asner voiced Santa in The Story of Santa Claus (1996, TV) and Olive the Other Reindeer (1999, TV) and appeared on camera as Santa in The Ellen Show (2001, TV) and Elf (2003, film).
- Fred Astaire played Santa in The Man in the Santa Claus Suit (TV, 1979).
- Mel Brooks voiced Santa in an episode of The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron (2002, TV).
- David Canary played Santa in Secret Santa (1994, TV).
- Art Carney reprised the role of Santa in The Night They Saved Christmas (1984, TV).
- Charles Durning played Santa in several TV movies: It Nearly Wasn't Christmas (1989), Mrs. Santa Claus (1996), Mr. St. Nick (2002), and A Boyfriend for Christmas (2004).
- Paul Frees voiced Santa in the Rankin/Bass TV specials Frosty the Snowman (1969), The First Easter Rabbit (1976), and Rudolph's Shiny New Year (1976).
- Gilbert Gottfried voiced Santa in Billy and Mandy Save Christmas (2005, TV)
- John Goodman voiced Santa in the video Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie (1998), a Robot Santa in Futurama (199, TV), and played the part in The Year Without a Santa Claus (2006, TV).
- James Earl Jones voiced Santa Claus in an episode of Recess (1997, TV)
- Bruce Kirby played Santa in A Different Kind of Christmas (1996, TV)
- Stuart Pankin played Santa in an episode of The Hughleys (1998, TV)
- Gerry Parkes played a retiring Santa Claus in Must Be Santa (1999, TV)
- Austin Pendleton played a streetcorner Santa in Christmas with the Cranks (2004, film)
- William Shatner voiced Santa in It's a Very Merry Eek's-mas (1993, TV)
- Jeffrey Tambor voiced Santa in The ChubbChubbs Save Xmas (2007)
- Peter Ustinov played Santa in Julie's Christmas Special (1973, TV)
- Frank Welker voiced Santa in A Chipmunk Christmas (1981, TV)
