Santa Claus

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"Nick" redirects here. For the member of the N-Gang, see N-Gang § Nick.
Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus in the The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! episode "Koopa Klaus"
Full name Saint Nicholas
Species Human
First appearance Saturday Supercade ("A Christmas Story") (1983)
Latest appearance WarioWare: Move It! (2023)
Toad, in all my life, I've never seen anyone express the true Spirit of Christmas better than you!”
Santa Claus, The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!

Santa Claus (usually simply Santa, alternatively known as Nick) is a jolly man who gives presents to people on Christmas Eve. He has made a few appearances in the Super Mario franchise and has received many allusions in games. Santa Claus lives in a home near his workshop at the North Pole, where his elves make toys. Santa Claus also rides around in a reindeer-drawn sleigh.

History[edit]

Saturday Supercade[edit]

Santa Claus as he appears in the Saturday Supercade episode "A Christmas Story"
Santa waving at the group watching him in Saturday Supercade

Though Santa himself appears only briefly toward the end of the Saturday Supercade episode "A Christmas Story", he is alluded to constantly throughout the episode. Mr. Anderson also reveals that he is Santa's remote helper. In the aforementioned appearance at the end of the episode, Santa appears while actively riding his sleigh, waving at Donkey Kong Jr., Bones, Mr. Anderson, and the redeemed Buzz and Waldo while wishing them all a merry Christmas.

Wrecking Crew[edit]

A Santa Claus statue is one of the prizes in Wrecking Crew, similar to the Golden Hammer. Smashing it awards 1600 points.

The Super Mario Bros. Super Show![edit]

Toad and Santa Claus in the Super Mario Bros. Super Show!.
Santa holding Toad after he finally learns the true meaning of Christmas

In The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! episode "Koopa Klaus", King Koopa freezes Santa's workshop, and dresses up as Santa himself, calling himself "Koopa Klaus". Koopa Klaus then kidnaps Santa, and attempts to ruin Christmas, but Mario and his friends rescue Santa. Santa is happy to be saved, but remarks that he cannot make any toy deliveries since his workshop is still frozen. Princess Toadstool urges Toad to cheer Santa up by giving him his beloved snowboard for Christmas, which Toad does with no regrets. Upon offering his snowboard, Santa becomes so touched by the kindness expressed by Toad that the warmth of holiday cheer melts Santa's workshop. Santa then delivers presents and lets Mario and friends ride with him.

Santa Claus
"Nick" with Mario

Santa also appears in the live-action segment "Santa Claus is Coming to Flatbush". Here, he arrives at Mario Brothers Plumbing on Christmas Eve, because someone had stolen his "transportation". Worn out and tired, Mario and Luigi feel obligated to take in the stranger on Christmas Eve. As Santa introduces himself as "Nick", Mario and Luigi do not realize he is actually Santa and they treat him to both their dinners, despite having very little to eat. After the CooKoo Bird announces the midnight hour on Christmas Day, Mario and Luigi rush to open their presents, but look back at Nick. Feeling sorry for the stranger, they offer their presents to him. Nick thanks them for the presents, grateful to be receiving them on Christmas for once. Mario and Luigi wake up in the morning and find that Nick has left during the night, but not without leaving behind presents for the brothers, along with a note stating that the cops had found his transportation. Mario and Luigi then see Santa ride by the basement window on his sleigh.

Super Mario World television series[edit]

While Santa Claus does not appear in the Super Mario World animated series, he is referenced in two episodes. In "The Night Before Cave Christmas", Mario dresses up as Santa to emulate the spirit of Christmas for the Cave People, setting out to deliver toys to all of the cave children in a Winged Yoshi-drawn sleigh. Santa is also mentioned by Luigi in "Rock TV" when he asks Mario if he remembers them having to pay an expensive bill for the "Speak to Santa Hotline".[1]

Club Nintendo[edit]

Santa Claus resembling Mario, as seen in the Club Nintendo comic "Super Mario: Die Bescherung".
Santa Claus in "Super Mario: Die Bescherung"

In the Club Nintendo comic "Super Mario: Die Bescherung", Mario and his friends throw a Christmas party. Mario leaves the house and shortly afterwards a man dressed as Santa Claus, but otherwise resembling Mario, enters the house, most of the guests believe the man is Mario dressed as Santa Claus. However, in this moment Mario joins the party again, astonishing the skeptical guests.

A man looking almost exactly like Santa Claus in "Die Bescherung", appears in "Warios Weihnachtsmärchen". Here, however, Wario calls him Mario and he does not correct him, suggesting this is simply Mario dressed up.

A different-looking Santa Claus also appears at the end of the story "Donkey Kong in: Banana Day 24", joining the Kongs' Christmas party and bringing gifts. He also mentions that he is surprised to see Earth back in its original position after it had been pulled away from the sun.

Super Mario (Kodansha manga)[edit]

In Super Mario: Wario no Mori, Princess Peach anticipates Santa Claus's arrival on Christmas Eve. Mario tries to tell Peach that Santa is not real, but as she gets upset, the Mushroom King tells Mario that he did not have the strength to tell the truth so, using Mario Paint tools, they create Santa outfits, reindeer antlers for Yoshi, and a flying sleigh to pass for Santa. Overnight, they deliver presents and on Christmas morning, Peach shows the presents to her father and Mario, then asks where are the presents they prepared for her. The King tries to excuse themselves, while Mario pleads him to tell the truth.

Super Mario series[edit]

Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS[edit]

Santa Claus is mentioned on a sign outside of the chimney in Cool, Cool Mountain in Super Mario 64 and its remake by the Cabin Proprietor.[2][3]

Super Mario Odyssey[edit]

In Super Mario Odyssey, a Crazy Cap costume based on Santa Claus consisting of the Santa Hat and Santa Outfit was released on November 21, 2018. Wearing the Santa Hat also gives Mario Santa's beard. Goombas and Ty-Foos in the Snow Kingdom also wear Santa Hats.

Paper Mario series[edit]

Paper Mario[edit]

In Paper Mario, if Mario chooses to sleep in the Toad House in Shiver City, he will occasionally wake up to find several Mushrooms and an Ultra Shroom in the Toad House. The Toad caretaker of the Toad House also mentions a wet floor inside the building, similar to melted snow, and asks Mario if someone has left gifts for him, suggesting Santa Claus.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door[edit]

If Mario talks to a Bandit on the East side of Rogueport in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, the bandit claims that he saw "a guy jumping from roof to roof" and said he was "sneaking into chimneys".

Super Paper Mario[edit]

One of the questions that Boomer asks Mario in Super Paper Mario is if he ever stays up at night wondering if anyone gives presents to Santa Claus.[4]

Donkey Kong Planet[edit]

In the Donkey Kong Planet skit "Le gros rouge qui tache", Donkey Kong is seen dressed as Santa Claus. He goes down the chimney while Candy Kong and two Diddy Kongs are arguing. Candy yells at Donkey Kong for interrupting and he apologizes.

Donkey Kong dresses up as Santa again in "Santa Donkey Kong", where he tells two Krushys dressed like reindeers about his ideas on activities to do after Christmas so they "won't be bored". Donkey Kong then proceeds to mount the Krushys' heads on a wooden shed.

Mario & Luigi series[edit]

Santa Claus is only referenced in the Mario & Luigi series. At one point in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Hermie III mistakes Mario for Santa Claus.[5] The Hollijolli Mayor in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time is a reference to Santa, being the mayor of the winter-themed Hollijolli Village and getting stuck in a chimney while wearing a red costume with a white beard.

WarioWare series[edit]

Santa Clauses in the Limbo! microgame in WarioWare: Move It!
Three Santa Clauses in WarioWare: Move It!

Santa Claus' first appearance in the WarioWare series is in level 2 of Spin a Yarn from WarioWare: Touched!, where fulfilling the objective of unraveling a sock shows him leaving a present.[6] He has a more active role in WarioWare: Move It! where three of him can appear in the second and third levels of Limbo!, riding a sleigh and having to be avoided. Furthermore, in the third level, a Santa hat must be worn after dodging them.

Although Santa does not appear in WarioWare: D.I.Y. or WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase the man trapped inside the snowball in the microgame Snow Fall wears a Santa outfit.

Mario Party 7[edit]

Bowser refers to himself as "Santa Bowser" during a Bowser Time event exclusive to Neon Heights in Mario Party 7.[7]

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games[edit]

Santa Claus is a VIP member throughout December in the Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games. He gives out 300 Star Tokens, more than other VIP characters, which give 100 Star Tokens.

Mario Kart series[edit]

Mario Kart Tour[edit]

“Santa! Ho ho ho!”
Mario (Santa), Mario Kart Tour

High-End drivers Mario (Santa) and Bowser (Santa) dressed in Santa costumes were introduced in the 2019 and 2020 Winter Tours respectively in Mario Kart Tour. As his costume, Mario wears the Santa Hat and Outfit from Super Mario Odyssey. In addition, a Santa Mii Racing Suit was introduced in the 2022 Holiday Tour.

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit[edit]

A Santa outfit is one of the outfits in Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit that Mario and Luigi can use. It is the same Santa Hat and Outfit from Super Mario Odyssey that previously appeared in Mario Kart Tour, only recolored green for Luigi.

Gallery[edit]

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning Notes
French Père Noël[8] Father Christmas
Italian Babbo Natale[?] Father Christmas

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Remember that trouble we got into with that "Speak to Santa" hotline back in Brooklyn?" – Luigi (1991). "Rock TV" - Super Mario World animated series. DIC Entertainment (English).
  2. ^ "Santa Claus isn't the only one who can go down the chimney!Media:Super mario 64 santa.png" – Cabin Proprietor (1996). Super Mario 64. Nintendo (English).
  3. ^ "Santa Claus isn't the only one who can go down the chimney!Media:SM64DS Sign.png" – Cabin Proprietor (2004). Super Mario 64 DS. Nintendo (English).
  4. ^ "You stay up wonderin' if anyone ever gives presents TO Santa Claus." – Boomer (2007). Super Paper Mario. Nintendo (English).
  5. ^ "Why! Red clothes... And a muthtache, even... That meanthh... C-Could you be... THANTA CLAUTH!?!" – Hermie III (2003). Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. Nintendo (English).
  6. ^ Jose Angel Alas (November 5, 2021). WarioWare: Touched! - All Dr. Crygor (Slightly Unscrewed) (09:27). YouTube (English).
  7. ^ "Bwaaa ha ha ha! It's present time! Let's see what special gift Santa Bowser has..." – 2005. Mario Party 7. Neon Heights: Nintendo (English).
  8. ^ Sign on Montagne Gla-Gla
  9. ^ "With his flowing white beard, Smithy looks like a diabolical Santa Claus, pounding out spring-loaded Shypers with his huge sledgehammer." – Pelland, Scott, and Kent Miller (1996). Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars Player's Guide. Nintendo of America (English). Page 104.