Welcome to the 2025 Heistmas Advent Calendar, a daily drop of pop culture Christmas icons, oddities, and joy. Check back every day from now through December 25 for each daily entry!
Plenty of us like to say that Christmas is a magical time of year, but it doesn't take a Grinch to clock the hyperbole in that statement. Reindeer aren't really flying, a jolly home invader isn't eating your cookies — if Palm Springs has a white Christmas, it's a bizarre side effect of climate change and not a miracle. Similarly, while sitcoms are generally not reflective of real life, 99% of them remain rooted in the some kind of recognizable reality. That's why we love them, because we see ourselves in their comically heightened situations.
But in sitcoms, even the "realistic" ones, Christmas is frequently, literally, a magical time of year. Now, on shows like Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Bewitched, where magic is the show's whole jam, sure, it makes sense that Santa Claus becomes a recurring character. John Ratzenberger even plays him on Sabrina!
No, I'm talking about the Christmas episodes wherein it is revealed that, in an otherwise milquetoast family comedy, Santa Claus is straight-up real. And that fact, usually revealed to at least one cast member, is immediately forgotten next week. It usually plays out like this: a regular character, usually the youngest, gets a visit from Santa Claus. The adults all act like they know who's wearing the beard, either another regular character (usually the oldest) or a guest star. And then, at the last minute, the cast does a headcount or said character shows up late or out of costume and we get a full cast mug to the camera: "Was that really Santa Claus??? Naaaah!"
Except it was. This happens on Home Improvement ("Yule Better Watch Out," 1991), when Mark gets a visit from St. Nick to prove that he's not dead like Brad and Randy said. The two of them get a rubber band and a button from Santa for being liars. Tim and Jill assume that Santa is Wilson in costume ... except ... that's Wilson next door! Huh?!
It happens on Full House ("Our Very First Christmas Show," 1988) when, while snowed-in and stuck in an airport terminal, a grumpy old man disappears just in time for some holiday miracles to occur. That's all of their lost presents rolling in on the baggage claim! The only person to actually see Santa's sleigh fly away? Stephanie Tanner, who receives a personalized holiday greeting from Kris Kringle via a thick, brick laptop!
This happens on Family Matters ("Have Yourself a Merry Winslow Christmas," 1990) when Urkel's Christmas wish comes true, despite him keeping it a secret, and he proves it via certified mail. This happens in The Addams Family ("Christmas with the Addams Family," 1965) when there's one too many Santas visiting Wednesday and Pugsley. It happens in Blossom ("It's a Marginal Life," 1991) and Reba ("Cookies for Santa," 2002) — it even happens in I Love Lucy! Yes, the sitcom upon which all other sitcoms sit upon! In 1956's "I Love Lucy Christmas Show," the wraparound holiday segment concludes with Lucy, Ethel, Ricky, and Fred all showing up in the Ricardos' kitchen in full Santa garb ... except there are five Santas in the kitchen. After tugging on their fake beards, they pull the stranger's beard, a real beard, and then he disappears.
Mind you, none of these characters remember that Santa Claus is real. Mark doesn't bring up the fact that the real Santa gave his brothers garbage in subsequent holiday episodes. Stephanie doesn't have to enter therapy after years of no one else in the Tanner household believing that she saw Santa's screensaver. Urkel, a firm believer in Santa even before he appears, doesn't triple down on his fantastical beliefs (he does, however, end up dabbling in cloning, genetic modification, and robotics). There should be real consequences for these magical moments, but there aren't!
But hey — sitcoms are also defined by their ability to hit the reset button week after week. The other 20-ish episodes a season would be completely altered if these average suburban families were suddenly clued into the magic underpinning their reality. Which makes me wonder ... I said that Christmas magic isn't real ... but what if I'm just as forgetful as Stephanie Tanner?
Check back tomorrow for even more Heistmas Advent Calendar Goodies!
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