Myth in the Twenty-First Century: The Role of Santa Claus as an Omnipotent Being

A short essay on the infatuation society has on Santa Claus

Myth in the Twenty-First Century: The Role of Santa Claus as an Omnipotent Being

Saint Nicholas; Father Christmas; Kris Kringle; Santa Claus. He is the harbinger of wrath to those who dare disobey his word, yet the gracious omnipotent to all those pious who worship him in his greatness. Never has there been such controversy towards a man- if he can even be called a man- who has such divided the world, effectively bisecting the non-believers from the believers: those Naughty versus those Nice. He is an all-powerful being who influences and dictates the lives of all those who look to his guidance and, although he has never been seen through the eyes of mortals, his power can be felt throughout the world, most prominently in December.

Although the perception of Santa Claus differs from location to time to individual beliefs, there tends to remain universal constants which re-appear time and time again throughout the differing tales: Santa Claus is most commonly depicted as a large, rosy-cheeked, elderly man who has a full, bushy beard and wears a crimson red uniform. His magical powers allow him to visit every household across the globe in a single night, delivering rewards and gifts to the pious, and coal to those who misbehave, while his immortality allows him to do this every year for generations. He reigns supreme over his domain- the North Pole- as king and overlord, his rule being both unconditional and absolute. Similarly to the Maenads to the Greek god Dionysus, or the Erotes to Aphrodite, Santa Claus has full control- almost in a thoughtless, slave-like manner- over his army of elves who are forced to dedicate their lives to him, building toys for the good boys and girls, and obeying his every command. They care for his reindeer- Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph; equatable to the loyal hound Cerberus to Hades- ensuring that these noble steed are properly equipped and prepared for the arduous journey of Christmas night. In some cases, though less popularized, Santa Claus is accompanied by his wife: Mrs. Claus. She is his equivalent- the Queen of his kingdom who reigns alongside him- and, like Hera to Zeus, she is in charge of the more homely aspects of her husband’s kingdom, mainly caring for the reindeer and baking cookies.

One of the most renowned myths of Santa Claus is that of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer- a tale in which Santa, acting as a benevolent, just leader, uses his all-powerful rule to bring order amongst the reindeer civilization and elevates a deformed, outcast reindeer, Rudolph, to the ranks of his steeds. In this tale, Santa Claus acts as a wise, astute leader who is able to integrate Rudolph back into the pre-existing hierarchy of the Reindeer civilization, regardless of his disability, while also exploiting Rudolph's usefulness as a tool to his advantage- using Rudolph’s red, glowing nose to lead his sleigh in the darkness of the night. This tale, while recognizing the effectiveness of his control, depicts Santa Claus as a just, congenial leader who uses his power righteously, which further accentuates his role as a bringer of goodness, rather than as punisher to the heathens- the non-believers. This idealized depiction of Santa Claus reflects the attitude in which he is regarded- society focuses more on the loving, good-doing aspects of Santa Claus, invoking ideas of love and admiration for the man amongst impressionable, younger children, rather than focusing on his role as a chastiser of the wicked and the thankless.

Worship towards Santa Claus varies between different societies, however the more popular version is that of the West’s form of worship- mainly the Americas. There, he has, arguably, more of an influence than anywhere else; children are indoctrinated to believe that he is always watching- that he is all-knowing: “he knows when [they have been] sleeping, he knows when [they are] awake, he knows if [they have] been bad or good,” (Coots) and children are even warned to “be good for goodness sake” (Coots). Santa Claus not only “[watches]” (Coots) these children, but he records all their mistakes- “he’s making a list” (Coots)- to use as leverage over and as an excuse for their punishment. In order to maintain such obedience amongst his believers, families take part in a ritual referred to as Elf on the Shelf in which a small, stuffed elf is perched high on a shelf where it has a clear view of all that goes on around it and is said to monitor the activities of the children it watches and report the going-ons of a household. This Elf is then supposed to report its findings to Santa Claus, referred to as “the Boss” (CCA & B LLC 2013) when all the inhabitants of a household are asleep, for it will not move if anyone is awake. In order to keep the Elf happy and to stay on Santa’s Nice List, children must adhere strictly to the rules of the Elf:

“First, an elf cannot be touched; Christmas magic is very fragile and if an elf is touched it may lose that magic and be unable to fly back to the North Pole. Second, an elf cannot speak or move while anyone in the house is awake! An elf’s job is to watch and listen.” (CCA & B LLC 2013).

Under the constant, scrutinizing surveillance of the Elf, children are reminded of Santa Claus’s all-powerful judgement. He is no longer just characterized as the knowledgeable, righteous being seen in myth, but is paralleled- sometimes replaced by- the wrathful, judgemental arbitrator between good and evil- between naughty and nice. His role in society is often depicted in regards of purpose- whether the mention of his name is intended to evoke feelings of peace in the virtuous or to strike fear into the hearts of the sinful. The sinners are constantly reminded of his all-seeing, ever-watching eye; Santa Claus’s image is plastered on every wall, emblems bearing his name and face hang in public institutions and homes, clothing and attire is created specifically for his worship. In an almost cult-like rendition, men bearing a similar resemblance to that of Santa Claus dress up and imitate him; situated in public spaces, children are encouraged to pay homage, offering praise and gratitude towards these Santa Claus-stand-ins, while also asking for that which the desire on Christmas Day, in an attempt to further strengthen the hold the unseen man has over them. His physical presence- or the appearance of it- instills amongst the children the demand for obedience and the reality of his power.

Beyond the idea of a myth, Santa Claus is an influential figure whose very name evokes insurmountable discussion; his existence may be controversial amongst society, however his power is not. The contrasting nature of his being reflects the ideologies and values of twenty-first century culture- Santa Claus can be depicted as benevolent yet wrathful, wise yet rash, altruistic yet judgemental. He is not limited to one, over-simplified characterization and reflects the constantly changing ideologies of the societies around him. The fundamental principles in which a society is based can be interpreted through their characterization of Santa Claus, like West’s characterization of a jolly, joyful old man who wishes to bring joy to families everywhere in contrast to other societies whose characterization of Santa can be considered more harsh. Not only is Santa Claus a reflection on the ideologies of human society, however, he is more than that: he embodies their idealizations and their desires- not just what a society is, but what they want to become.

Author's Note

I just want your honest thoughts and opinions :) anything you say will be much appreciated