Top 10 Greatest Santa Portrayals of All Time

As a child in the 1800s, Nick became a saint because he was so good and kind. Now as Santa, he’s overworked and stressed out, and he still has his obnoxious, trouble-making brother Fred to deal with. Paul Giamatti manages to make the character jolly and lovable despite the pressure he’s under. But he’s also not a total pushover, and his cheerful exterior eventually begins to crack. When an efficiency expert tries to shut down operations at the North Pole, that’s the final straw. Although this movie is full of magical whimsy, its portrayal of Saint Nick is one of the most grounded and humanizing.

Thanks to a witch’s curse, Narnia has had years of winter and no Christmas. When the witch begins to lose her power, Father Christmas is once again able to return to the magical land. He has gifts for the Pevensie children – the good ones anyway – but these aren’t teddy bears or board games. He’s preparing the children to do battle against evil. This Santa is jolly but somehow solemn at the same time, and his arrival foreshadows a difficult fight to come. He only has a few minutes of screen time, but his stately presence is unforgettable.

This gorgeous hand-drawn animated film imagines a new origin story for the big guy. Klaus is a bitter, lonely woodworker in a remote Norwegian town. His shed is filled with toys made long ago for the children he never had. He doesn’t have a workshop full of elves and his reindeer don’t really fly. Instead, this unique depiction of Santa, played just right by J.K. Simmons, is ultra-realistic. He’s a regular man who delivers toys to local children at night with the help of the newly appointed postman. The joy and kindness that he inspires begin to transform the dingy town, and eventually Klaus himself, until he becomes the jolly gift giver we know today. As he says, “a true selfless act always sparks another.”

Santa as a Viking? That’s a twist we haven’t seen before. This Santa is a jaded man who’s completely lost his Christmas spirit. Then a group of criminals take a family hostage while he’s delivering presents, and he has to summon his inner warrior to save them. It turns out, a night of violence was exactly what he needed to put the magic back in Christmas. Santa kicks the mercenaries’ butts, taking care of a whole group at once in a brutal scene set to a heartwarming Christmas soundtrack. We can’t exactly show it here, but it’s intense stuff. We didn’t know we needed a merciless action hero Santa. But thanks to David Harbour’s convincingly layered portrayal, we’re very glad we got one.

When you think about it, there is something kind of terrifying about Santa Claus. Still, Halloween and Christmas were never meant to go together. After Jack Skellington arranges for Santa to be kidnapped, he learns the hard way that the jolly man’s job is more difficult than it looks. It takes a lot of work to fly around the entire world in one night and get the right presents to the right kids, and it’s definitely not a job for a Pumpkin King having a midlife crisis. Fortunately, Ed Ivory’s Santa knows what he’s doing. As soon as Jack sets him free from Oogie Boogie’s creepy lair, he gets to work saving Christmas.

This isn’t your typical jolly old Santa. Nicholas St. North is Russian. He has tattoos. He carries a pair of swords. As the Guardian of Wonder, he spreads joy through his incredible toys, which are built by the Yetis – not the elves – who work at the North Pole. He’s also responsible for protecting children all over the world, along with his fellow guardians – the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman, and eventually Jack Frost. Baldwin’s version of the iconic character is brave, tough in a fight, and has an epic sleigh. Suffice it to say, he stands out from your standard Santa — of course, that’s exactly why he’s so memorable. We certainly wouldn’t want to get on North’s naughty list.

The Kris Kringle in this pair of Netflix original family comedies is a lot cooler than the one you’re used to. Sure, he delivers presents and eats cookies, but let’s just say he’s not the type to say “ho ho ho.” He’s more like a rockstar version of Santa, complete with spontaneous musical performances to get the Christmas spirit flowing. Although he lives in a village in the North Pole populated by tiny elves, he still feels like a Saint Nick for modern times. After all, he’s Santa Claus with the charisma of Kurt Russell, and he still gets to be married to Goldie Hawn. What more could you want?

For an actor well known for playing grumpy characters, the late Asner pulls off a surprisingly genuine and jolly Santa. He only has a few scenes, but he manages to stand out in a movie full of memorable and hilarious characters. Asner’s Santa comes across as wise and realistic, yet not overly world-weary, and his encouraging words to Buddy the “Elf” seem totally sincere. Plus, with his white hair, rosy cheeks, and shorter stature, he also absolutely looks the part. In fact, he’s one of the most traditional and classic versions of Santa on our list. No wonder Buddy is so excited to see him.

This performance is good enough to make anyone who’s lost their faith believe in Santa again. After getting a department store Santa fired for being drunk, the true Kris Kringle is convinced to take his place at the last minute. What follows is a magical journey that helps people regain their Christmas spirit. Edmund Gwenn was the first person to take on this version of Santa in the original 1947 film, and he brought Oscar-winning merriment and sincerity to the part. The late Attenborough, for his part, projects such incredible warmth and kindness, and seems truly invested in the children’s happiness. He’s so good as Santa, how could you not believe?

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

David Huddleston, “Santa Claus: The Movie” (1985)
This Film Is Undeniably From the Eighties, but Its Santa Is Timeless

Anna Kendrick, “Noelle” (2019)
Who Says Santa Has to Be a Man?

For many kids who grew up in the nineties or aughts, Tim Allen’s Scott Calvin is the definitive Santa Claus. The role is thrust on him when the previous passes away following an accident on Scott’s roof. Although it takes Scott a while to accept that he has indeed become Santa Claus, once he does, it’s like he was born for it. He not only begins to look the part, he finds himself filled with joy and enthusiasm for his new job. The original 1994 film was such a hit that it spawned two sequels and a TV series, keeping this iconic version of Santa alive for a whole new generation of kids.

Which movie Santa puts you in the holiday spirit? Let us know in the comments below.