Summary
- "I'm In Big Trouble." - Scott Calvin realizes he can't avoid his new responsibilities as Santa.
- "Do You Want This Doll Or Not? Go Back To Sleep." - Scott Calvin's no-nonsense Santa style appeals to kids.
- "Kids Don't Need To See This Place To Know That It's Real." - Judy the Elf emphasizes the power of a child's imagination in believing in Santa.
The best Tim Allen stars as a workaholic businessman who finds himself inheriting the position of Santa after accidentally knocking the real one off his roof. The movie brings a lot of festive joy as well as comedic hijinks as Scott Calvin (Allen) navigates the new job.
While The Santa Clause spawned two sequels as well as a recent Disney+ series, the first movie remains the best. Tim Allen fits wonderfully into the role of the reluctant Saint Nick, while the now-classic Christmas movie introduces a lot of clever aspects behind the truth about Santa. All this yuletide fun makes for some fun and memorable quotes that continue to be enjoyed year after year when sitting down to watch The Santa Clause again during the holiday season.
10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About The Santa Clause Trilogy
The Santa Clause trilogy is a well beloved Christmas franchise, but what are things fans probably don't know about the movies?
“I’m In Big Trouble.”
The Penny Drops For Scott Calvin
This is a Santa Clause quote that a lot of older viewers associate with the first movie because it featured prominently in the trailer. It comes after Scott looks into the mirror and sees his full Santa beard regrow instantly after having tried to shave it off, and he begins to realize that there's no way of avoiding his new responsibilities. A lot of people would be thrilled to learn that they were turning into one of the world's most beloved figures but the fact that Scott dreads the idea makes him a more interesting lead for the movie.
“Do You Want This Doll Or Not? Go Back To Sleep.”
Scott Calvin Is A No-Nonsense Santa
Because Scott Calvin gets a crash course in being Santa at the beginning of The Santa Clause, the audience gets a full picture of his transformation throughout the story. The film is all about Scott transforming into a better Santa and a better father, so when he's a bit of a rude Santa at first, it's easy to forgive him and see the humor as he's clearly going to get better at it.
This memorable quote comes from Scott's encounter with a child on his very first delivery as Santa. Even though he's being too blunt, the method is effective and Scott still has a lot of unique charm being his own sardonic kind of Santa. It shows why Tim Allen was so perfect for the role.
“When I Wake Up, I’m Getting A CAT Scan!”
Scott Calvin Questions His Sanity
After only one night of being Santa, Scott is ready to question the health of his own brain. But considering that the night in question was Christmas Eve, it's understandable. This The Santa Clause quote is a fitting sendoff for his wild night, as Scott yells it as he rides away into the clouds on the sleigh.
Scott isn't really quite Santa yet and this line shows that he hasn't even really bought into the reality of what is happening. So this serves as his version of "...and to all a good night!" It's not as festive, but it is funnier and sets up Scott for his character progression very well.
“Kids Don’t Need To See This Place To Know That It’s Real.”
Judy Drops Some Elf Wisdom
Judy the Elf is a memorable character from The Santa Clause because of her confident and no-nonsense attitude, but also because she shows the wisdom afforded by her long life. Judy reminds Scott about how important a child's imagination is as she tells him that kids already know about the existence of the North Pole and Santa's workshop without having to see it. The power of that belief is the emotional center of The Santa Clause, and this quote shows how the Santa Clause franchise has as many heartwarming quotes as it does funny ones.
10 Harsh Realities Of Watching The Santa Clause, 29 Years Later
Almost 30 years after the cult classic The Santa Clause was released, some plot holes and bad decisions made by the characters still confuse people.
"What Are You Talking About? Everybody Likes Denny's. It's An American Institution."
Scott Calvin Is A Dad Trying His Best
Scott Calvin in The Santa Clause isn't a bad father, and his parenting issues are pretty common. He's a typical company man who ended up spending too much time on work in his work/life balance. So when he takes his son, Charlie, to Denny's on Christmas Eve, it's not because he doesn't care about him, and his attempt to brush off the situation as being normal actually manages to be endearing as a result. The scene is made even funnier by seeing all the other single fathers who have brought their kids to Denny's for a Christmas Eve dinner after their cooking didn't go as planned.
"And That's Not Very Ladylike!"
Scott Calvin's Imaginary Road Rage
Scott Calvin isn't a bad dad at the beginning of The Santa Clause, but he's also far from a natural parent. He goes to some hilarious lengths in order to avoid his responsibilities, as this quote illustrates very well. Heading to be with his son on Christmas Eve after his office Christmas party, Scott makes up an excuse about bad traffic as he drives on the completely empty roads. He goes so far as to create a fictional motorist who, according to Scott, gets more than a little rude in their interactions with him.
"Can We Take A Direct Flight Back To Reality, Or Do We Have To Change Planes In Denver?"
Scott Calvin Refuses To Accept His New Normal
Scott is more than a little skeptical of the whole Santa arrangement going on at the North Pole when he arrives in The Santa Clause and, even after Bernard calmly explains everything to him in detail, the gravity of his situation hasn't sunk in yet. Still fully stuck in his sardonic ways, Scott downplays everything as he's unaware of just how unavoidable his transformation into a jolly gift-giver is. But it results in one of the funniest quotes in The Santa Clause.
"We Shared A Bowl Of Sugar, Did Some Shots Of Brown Liquor, Played With My Shotguns, Field Dressed A Cat, Looked For Women... I Read Him A Book!"
Scott Calvin's Sarcasm Shines Once Again
When called into his son's school office to talk about their seemingly unhealthy obsession with Santa and the North Pole, Scott is asked what he did with his son around Christmas that could have resulted in the extremely festive behavior. Scott, still far away from his warm Santa self seen at the end of The Santa Clause, responds to his mild interrogation with this great piece of sarcasm. While Charlie fully embraces the magical experience they shared on Christmas Eve, Scott still isn't willing to it it and uses his rude humor as a way to avoid it.
The Santa Clause Is Secretly A Horror Film (But Not How You Think)
The Santa Clause is a beloved holiday season classic, but the transformation of Scott Calvin into Santa also makes it a disguised horror movie.
"That Is Exactly Why You Want A High-Quality Fire Extinguisher Right In The Kitchen."
Cooking Isn't One Of Scott Calvin's Key Skills
Scott Calvin doesn't just come off as an emotionally distant father at the beginning of The Santa Clause, but he also demonstrates that he can't do simple things, like cooking a family dinner for just him and his son, with much care or finesse. After ing over a table of burnt food, the camera shows that Scott has set the main course completely on fire and is fighting the blaze with a fire extinguisher. It is a moment that feels reminiscent of Allen's accident-prone family man Home Improvement.
"Where Are You Gonna Get More Sweaters After The Circus Pulls Out Of Town?"
Scott Calvin Doesn't Care For 90s Knitwear
Scott Calvin makes his dislike of his ex-wife's partner, Neil, very well-known throughout a lot of The Santa Clause. He doesn't like Neil's personality or general approach and outlook towards things. Even though Scott isn't the most involved parent, he pushes back anytime Neil gives his opinions on how Charlie should be raised. After one of their many arguments about parenting, he goes straight for Neil's fashion sense too. Neil's sweaters are pretty iconically 90s, and they are also part of the reason this The Santa Clause quote has stuck with viewers over the years, making them feel nostalgic for the time period.
