Ah, “The Santa Clause.” The holiday classic where Tim Allen (making his leading man debut in a movie) accidentally murders Jolly Old Saint Nick, featuring a title that tricked an entire generation into misspelling “Santa Claus.” In the 1994 film (which ended up having to cut a risque joke), Allen plays Scott Calvin (Get it? His name has the same initials as SANTA CLAUS!), a divorced, work-obsessed marketing exec spending the holidays with his son, Charlie (Eric Lloyd).
Christmas Eve rolls around, and when the real Santa accidentally falls off Scott’s roof and dies, Scott is forced to become the new Santa. Scott doesn’t like this idea, especially when he starts growing a magical beard and a magical fat belly. It doesn’t help that everyone around him — except Charlie — thinks he’s gone insane. The film then unfolds over a year leading up to the following Christmas, where Scott has to come to terms with his new career.Â
Will Scott learn to be a better father, embrace the Christmas spirit, and thrive as the new Santa Claus? Of course he will, and then they’ll make a string of sequels (and a streaming TV series reboot as well)! Happy holidays!
Quote of the Day from The Santa Clause
“Seeing isn’t believing. Believing is seeing.”
“Seeing is believing” is an age-old saying, but “The Santa Clause” flips this a bit. When Scott becomes Santa, he ends up in the North Pole, where the Elves who toil away in the workshop try to give him some help. One of those elves, Judy (Paige Tamada), utters our quote of the day: “Seeing isn’t believing. Believing is seeing.” This quote is later embraced wholeheartedly by Scott’s son Charlie, who has to keep reminding Scott that all he has to do is look around to witness the reality of his new magical life.
Belief is a big part of “The Santa Clause.” Scott has to believe in himself, while everyone around Scott has to believe he’s really the new Santa. The hard-headed realists of the world understandably have trouble with all of this, and that includes Scott himself. He’s a gruff American businessman! He doesn’t believe in Christmas magic, gosh darn it! All Scott needs to do is open his eyes, both literally and metaphorically, to see the reality of his new situation. And isn’t that what Christmas is all about? That and drinking way too much nog? Thank you,”The Santa Clause,” for making us believe in Christmas.
Other memorable quotes from The Santa Clause
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“You want me to take the toys down the chimney into a strange house, IN MY UNDERWEAR?”
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“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night! And when I wake up, I’m gettin’ a CAT scan!”
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“We’re your worst nightmare. Elves with attitude.”
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“Everybody likes Denny’s, it’s an American institution.”
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“You see, children hold the spirit of Christmas within their hearts. You don’t wanna be responsible for killing the spirit of Christmas, now would you … Santa?”
