Santa Claus

Santa Claus with some of his reindeer as seen in a portrait within the Haunted Mansion

### Aliases

Sandy Claws
St. Nicholas
Kris Kringle
Father Christmas

### Pets

Reindeer:
Comet
Cupid
Donder
Blitzen
Dasher
Dancer
Prancer
Vixen
Rudolph

## Biographical information

### Occupation

Holiday gift-bringer
Ruler of Christmas Town

**Santa Claus** is a pop-culture/folklore figure who is referenced in many attractions within the S.E.A. mythos.

## History

### Real World

Santa Claus is a folklore/pop-culture figure effectively created during the late-18th-19th century, predominately within the Americas. He is a melting-pot figure of several different characters affiliated from different winter holiday/ceremony practices of Europe which were quantified together.

Santa is traditionally affiliated with being an old magical man living in the North Pole where he makes toys with a legion of elves. Every Christmas he rides a flying sleigh pulled by 8-9 flying reindeer to deliver toys to good children on his list.

Figures who Santa is created from include: the Norse god Odin and his English variants, the Nisse from Scandinavian folklore, assorted pagan entities affiliated with the Wild Hunt practice, the historic St. Nicholas of Myra, and the sorcerer Ded Moroz from slavic fairy-tales.

### Disney versions

#### Disney Parks

Santa Claus appears to be a real entity within the Disney Parks mythos, being a magical gift-bringer who is presumably the leader of the realm known as Christmas Town which is one of several holiday worlds. It is unknown if Santa's existence is known/believed or not within continuity.

Santa himself often takes summers to vacation in the Florida ski-resort of Blizzard Beach by Mount Gushmore. He also has a history with Jack Skellington, the ruler of Halloween Town who once kidnapped him to take over Christmas. While that issue was resolved, Jack is seemingly allowed to still practice a perverse Christmas celebration at more macabre locales such as the Haunted Mansion in New Orleans.

## Appearances and allusions

### Blizzard Beach

Winter Summerland in Blizzard Beach is a miniature golf-course that is themed around being the summer retreat for Santa Claus and his elves. His likeness can be found throughout this area of the park.

### Haunted Mansion Holiday

A portrait of Santa Claus appears in the Haunted Mansion's portrait corridor in the seasonal Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay. The story of the attraction is in-keeping with *Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas* (1993) with Jack Skellington taking up the, "Sandy Claws" moniker to serve as the Santa analogue for the Haunted Mansion and its undead residents. The bogeyman Oogie Boogie also dresses up as, "Boogie Claws" and is found in the mausoleum.

In 2003, Santa made a live appearance outside of the mansion in a show lead by Ken Page and the citizens of Halloween Town. He comes to be kidnapped by Oogie Boogie and forced to sing for guests while pleading for help.

### It's a Small World Holiday

Santa's silhouette appears in the North Pole segment of this attraction within his workshop while reading his naughty & nice list.

### The Jingle Cruise

   Santa Claus is repeatedly referenced during the seasonal, "Jingle Cruise" overlay of the Jungle Cruise. He is first mentioned in the queue for the attraction under various contexts. Letters to Santa can be found in the queue from the skippers of the Jungle Navigation Company along with a faux fireplace tableau set up by the skippers with a sign reading, "Santa please stop here".

He is also mentioned throughout the ride by the skippers for assorted jokes as they encounter Christmas (and Santa) iconography throughout the jungle. At the end of the attraction, Chief Nah-Mee is found in a Santa inspired persona identifying himself as, "Trader Sam-Ta" as a portmanteau of Santa and Trader Sam, Nah-mee's more famous cousin.

### Indiana Jones

A message from Indiana Jones to Sallah regarding the coverage surrounding their excavation of the Temple of the Forbidden Eye had Indiana stating the situation was shaping up to be the biggest thing since Santa Claus.

### Skipper Canteen

A book titled, "Sandy Claws; Indonesian Beach Tigers" plays on Santa's name within the library of the Skipper Canteen.

### Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar

Decor of Santa Claus is hung up around the holiday season at this bar.

### Live-appearances

* Santa Claus is a regularly found character at the Disney Parks during the Holiday season, appearing for meet 'n' greets, shows and parades. His French variant/counterpart **Le Père Noël** appears in EPCOT's France pavilion at World Showcase. He also often appears with his wife, Mrs. Claus for these appearances.

## Connections

### Camp Discovery

Santa's fellow holiday ruler affiliate Jack Skellington and his dog Zero are both referenced in the *First International News* newspaper reporting on the Johnson family's encounters within the Haunted Mansion.

### Typhoon Lagoon

There is a letter from **Santa Claus** in the Winter Summerland which reads, "*Going snorkeling at Shark Reef. Be back soon…I hope.-“Santa Jaws”".* Shark Reef is a location from Typhoon Lagoon which used to be used for guests to snorkel with sharks. The establishment of Shark Reef was run by the character of Hammerhead Fred, a figure also referenced in Miss Adventure Falls.

## Trivia

* The North Pole is a location affiliated with the Disney Parks' depictions of *20,000 Leagues Under the Sea* due to it having been a location in Submarine Voyage and its spin-off attractions where it was explored by the *Nautilus XIII* and Captain Nemo.

## References

1. ↑ https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/en\_CA/recreation/winter-summerland-miniature-golf/
2. ↑ https://www.yesterland.com/swholiday.html
3. ↑ https://disney-universes.tumblr.com/post/64909568111/theresaneverlandwaiting4u-if-you-were-to-spend
4. ↑ https://www.disneytouristblog.com/christmas-trader-sams/
5. ↑ https://disney-universes.tumblr.com/post/163491408941/lafitteslanding-heres-close-ups-on-some-of-the#notes
6. ↑ http://www.mainstgazette.com/2016/03/santa-jaws.html