More Than Entertained

“Master, I want to see” (Mark 10:51). These are some of my favorite words in the Bible, and they have been a prevalent petition in my prayer life over the years. Here at More Than Entertained, we take as our foundational verse another line which has to do with sight.

After Jesus was made known to the disciples on the road to Emmaus through the breaking of the bread and the Scriptures, “their eyes were opened and they recognized him” (Luke 24:31). Over the past several years, the Lord has opened my eyes to recognize Him in many places where I encountered Him before I ever knew it was He. Thus, as I began my reflection on Christmas classics and was drawn specifically to Tim Allen’s Santa Claus, the floodgates burst forth. It is more evident to me than ever before why my family and I have always been so enchanted by Scott Calvin as Santa Claus. Indeed, scattered throughout these Christmas classics are many Semina Verbi, seeds of the Word.

While The Santa Clause 2 has long reigned as the Garriques family favorite in the trilogy, I will home in on the original for the purposes of this reflection. Here’s a beautiful quote from Saint John Henry Newman to kick us off: “God knows me and calls me by my name… God has created me to do Him some definite service; He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission.”

When we are introduced to Scott Calvin in 1994’s The Santa Clause, it is clear he is not the man he is created to be. He is disrespectful, crude, and selfish. He is at odds with his ex-wife, bitter toward her new husband, and distant from his only son, Charlie. But then it happens: Santa falls off the roof.

With great reluctance, Scott puts on Santa’s suit and his life is changed forever. While he does not know it yet, the audience sees in a flash the outward sign of the inward transformation which has been set in motion. Indeed, his journey is evocative of the transformation all Christians are asked to undergo.

“Be renewed in the spirit of your minds,” says Saint Paul, “and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:23-24).

Whether he likes it or not, Scott Calvin has found the definite service God has created him to do, and he must be made new to do it. He spends the better part of the rest of the first movie resisting this call, even as many signs and symbols are offered to help him believe. There is the snow globe given to Charlie by Bernard, the head elf. There are the red silk pajamas with the initials S.C. for Santa Claus. There is the more natural, yet prophetic sign that those same initials, S.C., also happen to be his. His facial hair grows at an alarming rate, and his stomach rapidly takes on the features of a “bowl full of jelly.”

But there is one instance that helps his eyes to be opened fully. Charlie is earnestly trying to convince his Mom, Neil, and his Dad that his Dad is in fact Santa Claus. With tears in his eyes and desperation in his voice, he yells “Remember!” as he tosses Scott the aforementioned snow globe. Scott peers into the globe, looking more closely than he ever has, and it seems this time with eyes that truly want to believe. As he does, it becomes filled with life he’s never seen before. Santa is in his sleigh drawn by reindeer who help him to soar. This globe is another visible sign of his interior transformation. His heart softens and the light penetrates the darkness. Scott Calvin has finally accepted his new name and new mission. He has a clear path, and he knows the definite service to which he is called.

Fantasy can often be iconic of the true light which has come into the world, and there is much goodness in the adventures of Santa Claus. As I mentioned earlier, there was a whole flood of Christian themes presenting themselves to me as I watched The Santa Clause and The Santa Clause 2 in preparation for this reflection. We find, however, in the case of Santa Claus, as in all cases of fantasy, at least one key difference between their story and that of Jesus Christ. Namely, the story of Jesus Christ is true. ‘“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means ‘God is with us’” (Matthew 2:23). God is with us! We do not need a snow globe to summon His presence. We simply need the Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church and a heart aware of its maker. We do not need magic to obtain miracles. We simply need the faith to ask for them from the God of miracles.

The mission of Tim Allen’s Santa Claus—the reason he, the elves, and the North Pole exist—is to bring joy to the world. As he says to Carol at the resolution of the sequel, “this place is all about magic, and love, and wonder.” Santa Claus is, to be sure, an instrument of joy, but he is not its source. It is Jesus we seek when we dream of happiness, and it is His mission that gives us the true reason for the season. Let us enjoy our favorite Christmas classics this year and all the while keep the story of Christ at the center of our hearts.

“The angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord’” (Luke 2:10-11).