Santa Claus is a traditional holiday figure representing Christmas good cheer and gift-giving, who is the best known (at least in modern times) mascot of Christmas, developed in the United States as an amalgam of Saint Nicholas and various other seasonal folk heroes, with many aspects provided by the classic poem A Visit from St. Nicholas.
Background[]
The Santa Claus figure is based largely on the Dutch holiday figure of "Sinterklaas" (a hasty pronunciation of "St. Nicholas" somewhat based on the 4th century Saint Nicholas of Myra) who comes down the chimney on the fifth/sixth of December and the imagery of the Saint in question carried over to his North Pole incarnation.
As the most prominent figure associated with Christmas, Santa Claus appears in many Christmas productions in the franchise of The Flintstones by Hanna-Barbera.
Physical Appearance[]
Santa is depicted as an obese, elderly man with a white beard and mustache, thick white eyebrows, and wears a white fur trimmed red jacket and pants with a broad buckled belt, a matching hat with a white bobble on top, and black boots. In The Flintstones he has been depicted in both Stone Age attire and his more modern attire with no reason given as to his change in appearance.
Personality[]
Santa is a happy, kind, nice, wise, helpful, jolly, good-hearted man that smiles a great deal, likes to eat (especially cookies and milk), and is a very likeable, accessible fellow with his friendly nature, open mind, and energetic spirit to help make the holiday season the joyful time it is for the cavepeople in Bedrock and all around the world.
Appearances[]
Media[]
| Picture | Performer | Production | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
None | The Flintstones: 1961 comic strip | In the 1961 comic strip in which he first appeared, Santa seemingly hailed from the future and was credited as introducing Christmas to Bedrock by giving gifts to animals. He was then discovered by Fred and Barney who learned from Santa that he knew of the future in regards to the holidays that would come and the holy origins of Christmas. Fred and Barney then told the rest of Bedrock and thus Christmas began in Bedrock before its time.
Santa Claus would make regular appearances in the comic strips from then on in every December release. |
 |
Hal Smith | The Flintstones: "Christmas Flintstone" | When he was sick with a flu, Santa had Fred Flintstone substitute for him. |
 |
Hal Smith | A Flintstone Christmas | Like in the first Flintstones Christmas production, when his ankle was sprained, Santa had Fred substitute for him. |
 |
Jim Cummings | Pebbles Cereal's 1986 commercial | In a 1986 Pebbles Cereal Christmas commercial, Barney attempted to steal Fred's Pebbles by disguising himself as Santa Claus. However, his plot was foiled as the real Santa Claus was already inside the Flintstone home (and Fred served him a bowl without question). Barney as the impostor Santa was immediately discovered by an annoyed Fred, until Santa reminded Fred that it was the season of sharing, to which Fred changed his mind, gave Barney the bowl and embraced him with a "Happy Holidays, pal" greeting. |
Publications[]
- The Flintstones (comic strips)
- "Christmas in Bedrock" (The Flintstones (Gold Key Comics) Issue № 38)
- The Flintstones: Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Meet Santa Claus
Notes/Trivia[]
- Strangely, Santa Claus wears his traditional attire rather than a Stone Age outfit like the rest of The Flintstones characters in his first appearance in the comic strips and in A Flintstone Christmas, and even his sleigh, Reindeer and home in the North Pole are depicted normally, and his home being made of wood and having modern metal machinery to help with his toy making, despite having more a Stone Age attire and home in Christmas Flintstone and a few other spinoffs. The reason for this is never given and one could simply assume its a creative choice by the animators to make him more recognizable, but since his first appearance in the comic strips showed that Santa himself transcends the notion of time, he could likely change himself in any way he sees fit, adding more to his wondrous nature and making his presence in the specials feel more unique.