History Film / TheSantaClause

* VitriolicBestBuds: Scott still pokes fun at Neal, but makes it clear he still sees him as a good friend.

The first film in the series, ''The Santa Clause'' (1994) is a modern take on the Scrooge story with a twist. Businessman Scott Calvin is divorced and cynical, and his ex-wife Laura (Creator/WendyCrewson) doesn't want him to have much contact with his son, Charlie (Creator/EricLloyd). One fateful Christmas Eve, he startles a man who he believes is a burglar on his roof. The man falls off into the snow of their front yard, then vanishes, leaving his clothing behind- and a sleigh of flying reindeer on the roof. Scott, at Charlie's insistence, puts on the guy's red Santa coat and spends the night delivering gifts before being taken back to the North Pole, where he discovers that he inadvertently invoked a magical contract must now take on the role of Santa permanently, being given until Thanksgiving to set his affairs in order. He tries to blow this off as a wild dream and returns to his life, but before he knows it, he finds himself craving cocoa with marshmallows and Christmas cookies, puts on weight at an alarming rate, and finds his hair whitening and a beard that grows back in five seconds. His ex thinks that he's gone crazy and tries to win sole custody of their son, and Scott has to attempt to both repair his damaged family relationships and keep Christmas going.

''The Santa Clauses'' was announced in January 2022 as a limited series on the Disney+ streaming service, with Tim Allen returning as a nearly 65-year-old Scott Calvin who's realized he can't stay Santa forever and is looking for a suitable replacement so he and his family can return to the regular world again.

In January 2022, a limited series was announced for release on the Disney+ streaming service, with Tim Allen returning as a nearly 65-year-old Scott Calvin who's realized he can't stay Santa forever and is looking for a suitable replacement so he and his family can return to the regular world again.

** Used very effectively. Both Laura and Neal talk about toys they wanted as children that convinced them Santa wasn't real, both actual toys: ''TabletopGame/MysteryDate'' is what Laura wants, and an Oscar Mayer Weenie Whistle is what Neal wants. [[spoiler:[[TheLawOfConservationOfDetail Scott finally delivers them at the end of the movie.]]]]

* AwesomeMcCoolname: The Tooth Fairy wants a better name, so Scott joking calls him "the Molarnator".

* NotMeThisTime: A variation: when Bernard reveals that Charlie's on the naughty list, Santa/Scott initially thinks that he's referring to Creator/CharlieSheen and remarks that he thought he straightened out. Abby then reveals that they weren't referring to Sheen, but to his son, Charlie Calvin.

* CanadaEh: The North Pole is dressed up to look like Canada to fool Bud and Sylvia. The kids even say "Welcome to Canada. Eehhhhh".

* AdultFear:
** Scott and Charlie disappear with no trace around Thanksgiving to work at the North Pole with no warning to Laura or Neal but also no malice or intent to hurt them. However, his mother spends an entire month believing her [[SanitySlippage seemingly mentally ill]] ex-husband has abducted her son to parts unknown and only briefly hears from him on the phone once.
** Scott is also concerned about Charlie's behavior after they go to the North Pole. Everybody believes that Charlie is becoming delusional due to the time he spends with Scott. To prevent losing custody, Scott tries to find a way to keep Charlie quiet about him being Santa and convince him that he dreamed the whole night.
** From the other side, Scott has to watch everyone around him from his family (save Charlie), to his coworkers, to his doctor, to a judge treat him as insane and possibly a danger to himself and his child, up to the point of separating him from said child, for something that is completely out of his control.

* ActorAllusion: While fighting the toy Santa in mid-air, the real Santa is told [[WesternAnimation/ToyStory "You are a sad, strange little man."]]

* CompanyCrossReferences: During Scott and Robo-Santa's fight, the latter shouts, as an ActorAllusion, [[WesternAnimation/ToyStory "You're a sad, strange little man!"]].

** Scott's confrontation with Toy Santa results in Toy Santa exclaiming [[WesternAnimation/ToyStory "You are a sad, strange little man."]] Doubles as an ActorAllusion.

* AccidentalMisnaming:
** The toy Santa in the second film doesn't get Bernard's name right.
** Neither did Scott in the first one. His first attempt was only repeating the first syllable, then calling him "Barabas", then finally "Barnaby".
* ActorAllusion:
** While fighting the toy Santa in mid-air at the of the second movie, the real Santa is told [[WesternAnimation/ToyStory "You are a sad, strange, little man."]]
*** Toy Santa believing he's the real Santa definitely counts as one, too.
** In the first movie Scott [[Series/HomeImprovement repeatedly grunts "Oh no!"]]
** Also in the first movie, when Scott is first touring the North Pole, he picks up a [[Series/HomeImprovement tool belt]] and holds it to his waist.
** In the first film, when Scott reluctantly agrees to put on Santa's clothes, there's a StealthPun where he says the name of his character's last name on ''Home Improvement'':
--> '''Scott''': Well I hope you're happy, Comet. I hope ''you're'' happy. But most importantly, I hope the guy that lives here IS A ''TAILOR''!
* AdultFear:
** Scott and Charlie disappear with no trace around Thanksgiving to work at the North Pole with no warning to Laura or Neal but also no malice or intent to hurt them. However, his mother spends an entire month believing her [[SanitySlippage seemingly mentally ill]] ex-husband has abducted her son to parts unknown and only briefly hears from him on the phone once.
** Scott is also concerned about Charlie's behavior after they go to the North Pole. Everybody believes that Charlie is becoming delusional due to the time he spends with Scott. To prevent losing custody, Scott tries to find a way to keep Charlie quiet about him being Santa and convince him that he dreamed the whole night.
** From the other side, Scott has to watch everyone around him from his family (save Charlie), to his coworkers, to his doctor, to a judge treat him as insane and possibly a danger to himself and his child, up to the point of separating him from said child, for something that is completely out of his control.
* AIIsACrapshoot: Even magical Christmas elves can't always get it right. In the sequel, the Elves make a toy Santa that ends up becoming a tyrant.

* AlternativeForeignThemeSong: International versions uses [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVBzIRJgOXc "Jingle Bells"]] by Yello as the end credits song instead of "Christmas Will Return".
* AluminumChristmasTrees: 1-800-SPANK-ME, the phone number Scott invents for Neal's mother, is real. It got Disney in a heap of trouble when curious kids racked up huge phone bills for their parents. The scene was edited out starting with the first DVD release.
* AmbiguouslyJewish: Bernard the Head Elf. Doesn't help he's played by the Jewish Creator/DavidKrumholtz.
* AmicableExes: Scott and Laura eventually become friendly.
* AndADietCoke: Structurally inverted in the board meeting, where Scott orders an extremely light entree of an undressed salad, then appends several desserts.
* AnthropomorphicPersonification: The Council of Legendary Figures, consisting of Mother Nature, Father Time, Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman, and Cupid (and Jack Frost in the third film, who represents winter as a whole).
* AscendedExtra:
** Bernard was only in a few scenes in the first movie but becomes a main character in the second.
** Lucy plays a much larger role in 3.
* AudibleGleam: Charlie sacrifices a tooth to summon the Tooth Fairy so he can get Carol to the North Pole. When Santa's powers return, so does Charlie's tooth, with a [[TwinkleSmile visible sparkle]] that you can also hear.
* AwardBaitSong: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFpNTgMiuKo "Christmas Will Return"]] sung by Brenda Russell and Howard Hewett.
* AwesomeMcCoolname: The Tooth Fairy wants a better name, so Scott joking calls him "The Molarnator".
* BabiesEverAfter: Santa and Carol have a baby at the end of the third film.
* BadFuture: When Jack becomes Santa after igniting the Escape Clause, Scott is still a worker, Laura and Neil are divorced, Carol moved away, and Jack Frost has converted the North Pole into an amusement park, forcing people to come there to get their presents and having them pay to be put on the nice list.

* BigBad: The toy Santa in the second film and Jack Frost in the third.

* BigNo: Jack Frost in the third film, when Scott foils him. First, when Scott is able to make him invoke the Escape Clause, and then again when he realizes Scott has prevented him from altering the timeline again as Scott's past self becomes Santa like in the first movie.
* BookEnds: The third film begins and ends with Carol being rushed to the hospital. The beginning is a false alarm, but the ending has Carol finally giving birth.
* {{Bowdlerise}}:
** The televised version of the first film ends the doctor's office scene early, because the doctor uses his stethoscope, and the camera shows Scott's bare chest.
** Likewise, Scott muttering that he's "freezing [his] nubs off out here" as he puts on the suit and goes down the first house's chimney is typically changed to him saying that he's freezing his ''butt'' off outside in most televised airings of the first film.
* BrickJoke:
** In the beginning of the film the first Santa dies after falling off Scott's roof. Later in the film it seems Scott himself has developed a minor phobia of falling off roofs.
** On one of his first visits, Scott sarcastically tells a little girl that he is lactose intolerant after she tells him to have the milk and cookies. A year later, he visits the same girl and she has put out soy milk for him.
** Also in the first movie, Judy is the name of waitress who serves Scott and Charlie at Denny's. When Scott first arrives at Santa's workshop, the elf who gives him monogrammed pajamas also goes by Judy.
* BroughtDownToNormal: After Scott hears of the Mrs. Clause and learns he has to get married by Christmas Eve, he undergoes a "De-Santafication" process where he gradually turns back into his former self.
* BlandNameProduct: In the third film there are Christmas versions of human products i.e. ''Red Deer'' (Red Bull), ''North Pole Icy Treats''.
* ButNowIMustGo: Scott leaves Charlie forever, because a lot of kids are counting on him, and he couldn't let down, he had a lot of work to do, so Charlie lets him go, even though it means he would miss him. Before Scott actually leaves though, [[JustWhistle Bernard tells Charlie he can use his snow globe to summon Scott]].

* ButtMonkey: Scott Calvin, mostly in the first film. He tries hard to do the right thing, but life keeps making him look like a fool.
* TheCameo: Jimmy Labriola, who worked with Tim Allen on Series/HomeImprovement, has a cameo as a truck driver.
* CanadaEh: The third film, the North Pole is dressed up to look like Canada to fool Bud and Sylvia. The kids even say, "Welcome to Canada. Eehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh." And hilariously enough, Martin Short (Jack's actor) is from Canada.

* CassandraTruth: Scott confesses to Carol that he really is Santa Claus. She becomes angry with him, thinking he's mocking her hesitant confession about how much she loves Christmas. Charlie later attempts to vouch for his father, doing his first good deed since the previous christmas in that film, only for her to think the same for him.
* CastingGag: David Krumholtz is Jewish, but played the Head Elf Bernard in the first two films.

* CavalierConsumption: Scott spends a board meeting taking his time scooping a sundae dish clean, all to the tune of [[Series/{{Jeopardy}} Think!]].
* ChimneyEntry: With houses that didn't have chimneys or fireplaces, but rather heating vents and pipes, Scott Calvin as Santa would enter the house through there and a fireplace would magically appear in the room where he landed in.

* ChekhovsGun: At the alternate timeline in the third film, Curtis shows Scott a pen with voice recording capabilities. [[spoiler:Scott uses this pen to trick Jack into getting caught unintentionally using the Escape Clause to stop being Santa Claus.]]
* ChristmasTown: The North Pole is a central location in all three ''The Santa Clause'' films. It is a large metropolis populated by child-like elves and flying reindeer. It is all owned by the current Santa Claus (in the film's case, Scott Calvin) and acts as a meeting place for other iconic magical beings (Mother Nature, Father Time, Jack Frost, etc).
* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: Bernard is absent in the third film, and it's never explained why. In reality, his performer, David Krumholtz, was unable to reprise his role as Bernard due to contractual obligations working on ''Series/{{NUMB3RS}}'' and having very visibly aged. Judy and Quinton are likewise absent from the later films, though Abby serves as a replacement in the second film.
* ComicBookTime: Averted; both sequels take place exactly as many years after the previous film as it took for them to come out. Particularly with the second, which came out eight years after the original, yet brought back all of the original actors, even the by-then-teenaged Creator/EricLloyd as Charlie.
* CompanyCrossReferences: In the second film, during Scott and Robo-Santa's fight, the latter shouts, as an ActorAllusion, [[WesternAnimation/ToyStory "You're a sad, strange little man!"]].
* ConsummateLiar: Ties into Scott's cynicism and bitterness in the first film, which of course means that [[CryingWolf no one believes him]] when he says he's becoming Santa.
* CoolAndUnusualPunishment: Toy Santa gets shrunk down to normal toy size after being defeated and is put into a toy store.

* CorruptCorporateExecutive: Jack Frost is this in the alternate timeline in the third film. He turns the North Pole into a theme park, makes people pay to get on the Nice List, and generally exploits his position as Santa for all its worth.

* CrappyHolidays: At the beginning of the first film, Scott further strains his already tense relationship with Charlie, Laura, and Neal by not being home to receive Charlie, then treating them all less than politely when he does show up. Charlie is concerned that he won't have fun with his father, so he asks if he has to stay with him and requests that his mom pick him up first thing in the morning. Scott ruins his and Charlie's Christmas Eve dinner by burning their turkey, then takes Charlie out to eat. On his second try, he finds a Denny's, but they have to work that way past a crowd in the front room. Scott and Charlie don't get their first choice in anything to eat or drink, and then Santa falls off their roof. It proves to be a pivotal point in their Christmas, because although Scott's SubbingForSanta is the first thing he's done to make Charlie happy in a long time, it also leads to a lot more stress for him.
* CrystalBall: The magic snowglobe in the third film.
* TheCynic: Both Scott and Neal to a degree in the beginning; they both get better.
** Carol in the second movie. Thanks to Scott, [[DefrostingIceQueen she eventually gets better]].

* DefconFive: The opening of the second film shows that the North Pole has the "ELFCON" system, which tracks the threat of the workshop being discovered by the outside world. It's surprisingly done correctly, with the number lowering from 5 to 1 as a plane passes closer and closer to the workshop and the threat of discovery rises.
* DefrostingIceQueen:
** Carol in the second movie. Turns out she was an ice queen because being warm-hearted had gotten her hurt in the past.
** A more literal example with Jack Frost at the end of the third film, thanks to Lucy.
* DemotedToExtra:
** Neal and Laura in the second film. Subverted in the third.
** Charlie appears only very briefly in a few scenes in the third film.
* DescriptionCut: When Scott pulls into a Denny's.
-->'''Scott:''' Everybody likes Denny's! It's an American institution! \\
''(cut to restaurant full of Japanese businessmen)''
* DisappearedDad:
** Scott always loved Charlie, but the first movie demonstrates how much more focused with business he was. Becoming Santa obviously helps him get his priorities in order. However, in an irony, Scott still falls into this by the second movie - [[DaddyHadAGoodReasonForAbandoningYou though now because of the workload involved in caring for all the children of the world]].
** In the third film, when [[spoiler:Frost rewrites history, Neal's attempt to bond with Charlie caused enough friction with Laura that ''they'' divorced as well.]]
* DisproportionateRetribution: Toy Santa is unfamiliar with the concept of proportion of any kind--as far as he's concerned, if a kid does anything naughty at all, all year, they count as naughty. Curtis and Bernard try to convince him this view is too harsh, but he doesn't listen.
* DIYDentistry: Having lost his magic in the sequel, Scott needs a way to get back to the North Pole to stop Toy Santa's takeover. He and Curtis attempt to pull out one of his teeth to prompt a visit from the ToothFairy with both the "tie string to the doorknob" and "tie string to a toaster" tricks. Neither work on his adult teeth; thankfully, Lucy is an actual child who just naturally loses her tooth in time.
* DomesticApplianceDisaster: Scott Calvin burnt the Christmas turkey to the ashes and has to take his son to a diner. [[HilarityEnsues Turn out he's not the only dad to have to do that.]]
* DonutMessWithACop: Elves use one as a gag in the first film. Also, when the police go over their plan to trap Santa, one of the landmarks they list is the donut shop.
* DoomDoors: In the first film, when Charlie encounters the reindeer atop his house, one of them groans with the ''exact'' same sound effect that ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'' uses as the zombie marines’ death sound.

* DramaticIrony: The entire first movie pretty much runs on this. The audience (along with Charlie and Scott, of course) knows full well that the trip to the North Pole and Scott becoming the new Santa really happened and Scott [[TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody can't really help the Santa-y things that keep happening to him or that he himself does]], but to Laura, Neal, and everyone else, it looks like Charlie is becoming obsessively attached what sounds like just a crazy dream and Scott is fostering this behavior by acting more like Santa.
* EmptyPilesOfClothing: The only thing left of Santa [[NoBodyLeftBehind after he vanishes]] is his Santa Suit.
* EveryoneKnewAlready: In the beginning of the second film, Lucy is the only one in the Miller family who is not in on Scott's secret, but she openly suspects he's Santa Claus just from all the obvious clues. They eventually confirm it to her at the end.
* FirstFatherWins: PlayedWith; Scott is able to patch up his relationship with Charlie without Neal, the stepdad, having to be screwed over or vilified.
** Invoked in the third movie. In a world where Jack Frost became Santa, Neal tried to be a father to Charlie while Scott was busy at the office. Charlie regardless preferred the absent Scott, which put pressure on Neal's relationship with Laura.
* FirstGirlWins: In the second movie, Principal Newman was the first woman Scott encountered after returning from the Pole and is the one he ends up marrying.
* FoodPorn: In one scene in the first movie, the camera pans across a very appetizing Christmas dinner... and then pulls back to reveal that it's on a TV screen while Scott is busy extinguishing a burning turkey.
* ForcedSleep: The Sandman's power. He uses it on Bud and Sylvia prior to taking them to the disguised North Pole.
* {{Foreshadowing}}:
** In the beginning of the second movie, Scott/Santa remarks that his pants feel looser before he finds out about the whole Mrs. Clause/Desantafication ordeal.
** Also, in the beginning of the second film, Curtis plays with a toy Santa. Later he creates a ''life-size'' toy Santa to take over the workshop for Scott.
** In the third film, Scott asks Jack Frost (Santa Claus in the alternate continuity) to repeat the escape clause while arguing with him. [[spoiler:Simultaneously, he gets out the [[ChekhovsGun microphone pen]] and records Jack saying the escape clause without him noticing, so that Scott could use it against him later on]].
* FourthDateMarriage: The plot of the second movie is that Scott/Santa has to find a "Mrs. Claus" in one month or lose his powers.
* FramingDevice: The events of 3 are bookended by Carol telling the events of the film to her elf students.
* FromTheMouthsOfBabes: Neal's influence on Charlie in the first film backfires when Charlie declares that Neal is denying his inner child.
** From the second film:
--> '''Lucy:''' You can't stay mad at (Uncle Scott) forever, Charlie. He's your daddy, and you love him.
* {{Gasshole}}:
** Comet: When Scott Calvin meets him in the first film (and warns Charlie that the Reindeer might have "Key Lyme Disease"), Comet lets out a rather pungent blast of flatulence. Comet also farts after eating too much chocolate in the second movie, and several times again in the third film.
--> '''Scott:''' Eat some roughage, will you?
** The other reindeer seem to have gas issues too, with Scott mentioning in the second film that he doesn’t want to take Prancer out because he can’t stand when he “eats too many apples”.
** Also, Scott himself ends up getting this during the first stages of his transformation into Santa (when he is getting up out of bed, you can distinctly hear a farting sound).
* GilliganCut: When told he has to convince the other elves that the Toy Santa is the real one, Bernard insists "I'm not gonna lie to all the elves!" Cut to Bernard telling him how much better "Santa" looks now to the other elves.
* GoodCostumeSwitch: When Jack Frost's heart is warmed by Lucy's hug, his suit changes from icy blue to pale gold, and his hair and brows lose the ice in them and become a more natural brunette.
* GrumpyOldMan: Bernard when he's working is very impatient and serious. He looks like a teenager or young adult, but he's really very old even by elf standards.

* HiddenDepths: In the first film there are several scenes that show that, underneath his cynicism, Scott really is a good man at heart who deserves the role of Santa. Most of them are centered around his son, but there's a brief line of dialogue where he tells Charlie that he tried making things like the magic snowglobe when he first started working with toys, but no one bought them, with a definite note of sadness in his voice.
* HomemadeSweaterFromHell:
** Neal also wears these in the original and is mocked for it by Scott. The Santification process causes this to become HypocriticalHumor as Scott ''also'' starts wearing hideous sweaters ''far'' worse than ''anything'' Neal ever wears.
** A de-Santafied Scott is then forced to wear one of Neal's on his first date in the sequel because it's the only thing that fits him; the prospective women Scott dates turns out to be a Christmas freak with an even more hideous sweater.

* HowCanSantaDeliverAllThoseToys: Neal tries this with Charlie, pointing out that it’s not logical for one man to be able to deliver toys to all the children of the world in one night. Charlie, having been on a Christmas delivery, has a number of counterarguments, such as pointing out that a lot of children don’t celebrate Christmas.
* HoldYourHippogriffs: When the tooth fairy thinks he's caught, he grunts "bicuspids!"
* HideYourOtherness: Scott keeps shaving and dying his hair (he didn't want to look like Santa), only to have the beard grow back immediately, and the hair to go back to white.
* HyperspaceArsenal: Santa's bag is functionally empty until one reaches a qualifying house, at which time it produces the requested gift. This is HandWaved to an extent with the mention of the bag’s magical properties during Scott’s orientation as Santa.
* IHaveManyNames: When arrested in the first movie, Scott delays his interrogation significantly by supplying a different name for Saint Nicholas each time he is asked for his name. And then Series/TopoGigio.
* ItMayHelpYouOnYourQuest: Bernard giving Charlie the snow globe in the first film.
* IronicEcho: In the third movie: "Who said ['I wish I had never been Santa at all']? Rudolph? Rudolph's....mama?"
* InconvenientSummons: At the end of the movie, Charlie summons Scott mere minutes after they part.
* JeopardyThinkingMusic: As Scott eats, his co-workers just watch while this plays.
* {{Jerkass}}:
** Neal is a [[DownplayedTrope watered-down]] one in the first movie, portraying his logic as a bad thing when it means you shouldn't believe in magic and wonder.
** Scott Calvin is in the first movie up until he transforms into Santa Claus, basically because of his arrogant and cynical disposition.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Despite how much of a {{jerkass}} he is at the beginning, it is clear Scott loves his son Charlie and would do anything for him, which is proven when he puts on Santa Claus's suit and delivers the toys just to make him happy. The last movie indicates that he would have become even more cynical and wrapped up in his work if he hadn't.
* JumpCut: From Career Day in Charlie's class to the ensuing parent conference with his principal.
* KeepingSecretsSucks: The reason for Charlie acting out (and getting on the naughty list) in the second film, due to the stress of not being able to tell anyone the truth about what his dad really does, even though he considers it the greatest job in the world.
* KickTheDog: Jack Frost does this several times in the third film. Aside from freezing Lucy's parents and exploiting the North Pole when he becomes Santa, there's this unforgettable quote:
-->'''Santa!Jack Frost:''' Remember, kids. How much your parents love you depend on how much money they spend on your present!
* KlingonPromotion: Scott first got the Santa job by accidentally killing his predecessor.
* LargeHam:
** Martin Short as Jack Frost hams it up the entire time.
** Robot Santa in 2 is also much hammier than regular Santa.
* LeavingFoodForSanta: Early in his tenure as Santa, when he's still refusing to get into the spirit of it, Scott doesn't touch the food. When a small child catches him not drinking the milk she's left out, he tells her it's because he's lactose intolerant. This becomes a BrickJoke when he returns to the house at the end of the film, and finds that she's remembered and left him a glass of soy milk instead.

* LetThePastBurn: When Laura finds out that Scott really is Santa, she burns the documents from the child custody ruling, effectively rescinding it.
* LetThereBeSnow:
** Happens near the end of the first film when a crowd is watching Santa fly off. Next, there's a MatchCut to the snow globe when Charlie uses it.
** A variation in the second film. Their Chicago suburb is covered in ice, but Scott uses some of his dwindling Christmas magic to create a localized cloud of gentle snow fall while he's courting Carol.

* LuminescentBlush: Jack Frost has one briefly when Lucy is giving him a hug to warm his heart.

* MaintainTheLie: Scott is forced to disguise the North Pole as Canada so he can keep the Secret Of Santa in effect while the in-laws visit, and the elves and Millers help keep up the act.
* MenCantKeepHouse: During the Denny's scene in the first film, there's a whole section of the restaurant filled with single dads who screwed up Christmas Eve dinner and are trying to make up for it.
* MeetingTheParentsSequel: In the third movie, Scott and his second wife, Carol, invite her parents to the North Pole. HilarityEnsues as they attempt to keep his identity a secret.
* TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody: Scott gradually takes on Santa's traits and kind demeanor. Compare when he visits the little girl's house in the first movie as his normal jerky self, then later as Santa.
* MissionImpossibleCableDrop: In the second movie, Charlie drops through a skylight in the school gym with a harness and rope, so he can paint graffiti on the wall.
* MondegreenGag: Charlie mishears the line "Arose such a clatter" as "a rose suchak ladder". Hilariously, after accidentally knocking Santa off the roof, Tim runs into a ladder from the "Rose Suchak Ladder Company".
* MrsClaus: The second film is about Scott having to get a wife; apparently, having a Mrs. Clause is required for a Santa to keep his magic.
* MyFriendsAndZoidberg: In order to set a good example for Charlie, Scott pushes himself to be kind to Neal at the end of the first movie, referring to him as part of their family.
* MyCard: Neal gives his to Scott when the Santa issue reaches a fever pitch.
* NearAndDearBabyNaming: Santa/Scott names his and Mrs. Claus/Carol's new baby son Buddy at the end of the third film, after Carol's father Bud.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Curtis is basically a walking advertisement for this trope
** In the second film he neglected to tell Santa about the Mrs. Clause until it was almost too late, nearly caused the Pole to be discoved by playing with a dancing Santa during lockdown, and created a Toy Santa that almost ruined Chrismas because Curtis kept encouraging him to follow the rules.
** In the third movie, he's easily baited by Jack Frost to give away vital information on Santa's snow globe enabling Jack to take over Christmas. Ironically, in the alternate world, he's actually unintentionally helps Scott defeat Frost.
* NoAntagonist: The first film, as everyone's reaction to Scott becoming more and more like Santa is borne purely out of them not understanding what's really happening to him. The police in particular are simply doing their jobs in light of what, in all other respects, looks like a kidnapping when Scott and Charlie vanish together. Laura and Neal even apologize to Charlie once they realize the truth about Scott.
* NotMeThisTime: Variation: When Bernard reveals that Charlie's on the naughty list, Santa/Scott initially thinks that he's referring to Creator/CharlieSheen and remarks that he thought he straightened out. Abby then reveals that they weren't referring to Sheen, but to his son, Charlie Calvin.
* NotThatKindOfDoctor: {{Inverted|Trope}} in the first film; when people refer to Neal as a doctor, Scott sarcastically replies "He's not a doctor, he's a ''psychiatrist.''" Psychiatrists actually ''are'' medical doctors; it's psyc''holog''ists who are the Ph.D's.

* ObviousPregnancy: Carol in the third movie.

* OneSteveLimit: Averted by Judy the waitress and Judy the elf. After the first night at the North Pole, Scott concludes Charlie is remembering the waitress as an elf. One of the puppets in Scott's room is [[Theatre/PunchAndJudy Judy]], also.
* OnlySaneMan: Bernard in the second movie is the only person in the know who thinks toy Santa is a bad idea. Scott realizes how unconvincing it looks but tells Bernard to convince the other elves it's him anyway, and when he does he sounds ''so'' sure of himself. Unfortunately, he admits that maybe Curtis was right that it was a good idea right before toy Santa [[TyrantTakesTheHelm goes completely bonkers]].
* PaintingTheMedium: The first movie's poster and everything based on it have the text of the titular clause printed along the edges, just as it is with Santa's business card in the film.
** Some white sparks change the title from print to cursive, then linger on the E in Clause.
* ParentWithNewParamour: Scott has to get married in ''2'' to fulfill the conditions of the Mrs. Clause. He falls in love with Carol... who also happens to be Charlie's hated principal. When Charlie first finds out they're dating, he's devastated, [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy but later decides that his father's happiness is more important]] and tries to convince Carol to believe in Scott.
* ParentalBonus: When Scott's son appears on the Naughty List.
-->'''Bernard:''' It's... Charlie.\\
'''Scott:''' [[Creator/CharlieSheen Sheen]]? I thought he straightened out.
* PekingDuckChristmas: Subverted - after Scott burns the Christmas Eve turkey, he tries to make use of this trope by taking his son to a Japanese restaurant. It's closed, so he takes him to a Denny's instead, which is filled with Japanese businessmen and fellow fathers who burned the turkey.
* PhoneWord: The movie got in a little bit of trouble when Scott sarcastically identifies a phone number on a piece of paper as 1-800-SPANK-ME, which turned out to be an actual phone sex hotline.
* PostModernMagik: In this movie, Santa's workshop has become modernized, with the elves manufacturing toys in a factory. Santa's sleigh has been tricked out with gadgets like a cookie-cocoa dispenser, and even the literal North Pole has a keypad on the side.

* PreAssKickingOneLiner: "We're your worst nightmare. Elves. With. Attitude."
* ProductPlacement:
** Used very effectively. Both Laura and Neal talk about toys they wanted as children that convinced them Santa wasn't real, both actual toys: ''TabletopGame/MysteryDate'' was what Laura wanted, and an Oscar Mayer Weenie Whistle was what Neal wanted. [[spoiler:[[TheLawOfConservationOfDetail Scott finally delivers them at the end of the first movie.]]]]
** Also, at the beginning of the first movie, Scott and Charlie eat at Denny's.
** The second film features it in the sequence where Scott delivers the school staff all their favorite toys from childhood, including Toss Across and Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots.
** In the second film, when Carol tells Scott that it would be difficult for the Secret Santa to find said toys, he sarcastically name-drops eBay.
** The family is shown about to eat [=McDonald's=] in the second movie when discussing the Mrs. Clause.
** Comet gorges himself on a variety of Nestlé chocolate bars.
* ProtectorBehindBars: In 2, Curtis has to go warn Santa that Toy Santa has gone off the deep end in Bernard's place because Bernard has been placed under house arrest. Scott is incredulous about this news.
* PunBasedTitle: Blatantly spelled out in the first movie:
--> '''Bernard:''' ...So when you put on the suit, you fell subject to [[TitleDrop the Santa Clause]].\\

** And again, in the second film:

* PunctuatedForEmphasis: Used by the elves at the end of the first movie, who declare themselves to be "Elves. With. Attitude."
* PuppyDogEyes: Lucy is a champion at this. She comes by it honestly, as her parents, Neal and Laura, demonstrate.
* PurelyAestheticEra: Though many of the elves dress in very old-fashioned clothing, they also take full advantage of the latest technological advancements and appear more technologically advanced in some areas than humans.
* PutOnABus: Bernard doesn't appear at all in the third movie (due to David Krumholtz having contractual obligations). Curtis (the Assistant Head Elf from the second movie) takes his place as the Head Elf.
* PuttingOnTheReich: Robo-Santa in the second film.
* QuizzicalTilt: Charlie does one when he sees an elf for the first time and has no idea what said elf is doing. He doesn't realize that he and his father are being let into Santa's Workshop.
* RaceAgainstTheClock: Scott has to get married before [[CelestialDeadline midnight on Christmas Eve]] or he’ll stop being Santa forever.

* ReadTheFinePrint: "The Santa Clause: In putting on the suit and entering the sleigh, the wearer waives any and all rights to any previous identity, real or implied, and fully accepts the duties and responsibilities of Santa Claus in perpetuity until such time that wearer becomes unable to do so by either accident or design."
** Scott needs a magnifying glass to read the clause, which is hidden on the business card. In the second movie, the "Mrs. Clause" is so well hidden that Scott needs a gigantic magnifying glass to see it.

* RememberTheNewGuy: Jack Frost is introduced in the third film as part of the Council of Legendary Figures despite being absent from the second film. Somewhat justified by the fact he's doesn't attend the meetings as noted by Father Time.
* RewatchBonus: At the start of the first movie, a few of the children looking through the store window are [[{{Foreshadowing}} elves]].
* RottenRoboticReplacement: When Scott is temporarily cast away from the North Pole until he can find a woman to be his wife, a toy Santa is created to take his place. This fake Santa lacked Scott's compassion and boundaries, proclaiming a kid naughty for not doing anything bad at all and places Head Elf Bernard under house arrest.
* RubberBandHistory: In ''3'' Scott goes back in time to undo the BadFuture and manages to hold Jack Frost back, letting his past self put on Santa's coat exactly as he did in the original movie.
* RunningGag: Neal's ugly sweaters in the first movie. Finally culminates when Bernard greatly admires one and wonders if it was produced by the elves.
* TheSandman: In the second and third films, Sandman (Creator/MichaelDorn) is a respected member of the Council of Legendary Figures, along with Santa, Father Time, Mother Nature, Jack Frost, The Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy.
* SantaClaus: The film's central premise is how someone transitions into becoming the new Santa Claus, which in this universe is a LegacyCharacter.
* SantasExistenceClause: Scott pretends to believe in Santa for Charlie's sake, to the point of trying to explain how the reindeer fly, only to discover it ''is'' real. Later, Charlie's mother and step-father get to discover for themselves that Santa is real.

* SecondEpisodeMorning: Scott tries desperately to dismiss his first night in the North Pole as a dream and hide the Santification process.
* SecondYearProtagonist: Charlie's being fifteen years old in the second film makes it easier to set up the scenario of his getting into trouble in high school and on the naughty list; he's used to his school, he knows his way around it, and because he hasn't just filed a college application, there's plenty of time for him to be set right again.
* SecretIdentity: Scott has to keep his identity as Santa a secret, as part of the "Secret of Santa" ordeal, otherwise the spirit of Christmas would cease to exist.

* ShootTheMessenger: From an elf in the second movie after bringing Santa the naughty and nice list.
* ShoutOut:
** In the second film -- [[WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}} a robo-Santa who views everyone as naughty and intends to punish them accordingly?]]
** Lucy has a ''WesternAnimation/{{Kim Possible}}'' picture in her room.
** Scott mentioning the Creator/DisneyChannel makes the first film much easier to market and air on related networks.
** When Scott Calvin has a smorgasboard of food before a meeting at the toy company that he works at while his coworkers wait for him to finish eating, the theme tune of ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}'' is playing in the background.
** Scott's confrontation with Toy Santa results in Toy Santa exclaiming, [[WesternAnimation/{{ToyStory}} "You are a sad, strange little man."]] Doubles as an ActorAllusion.
** It's probably unintentional, but the name of Scott and Carol's newborn child is [[Film/{{Elf}} Buddy]] Claus.
** The English-accented elf in charge of the North Pole's technical department is called Quentin, probably in reference to [[Film/JamesBond Q]].
** While it's not confirmed, the alternate present in the third movie seems to be a mix of the two different presents shown in both ''Back to the Future Part 2'' and ''It's a Wonderful Life'', with it being bleaker, there's a corrupt tyrant that changed the past the main character has to confront to change things back, and every one of the main characters having a worse life in that timeline than the main one.
** In the first movie, after Scott quickly escapes up the chimney from a guard dog, Charlie asks him what it felt like. Scott responds, "It felt like ''[[Series/AmericasMostWanted America's Most Wanted]]''!"
* ShovelStrike: When the Escape Clause is invoked, Jack uses Scott's snow shovel to hit the latter in the face before he puts on Santa's coat. It's {{lampshade|Hanging}}d by Scott, who says "You hit me with a shovel!"
* ShownTheirWork:
** When Scott and Charlie finish their first run, the sun has already begun to rise. When they land at the North Pole, it's dark. Why? It's ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_night polar night]]!'' Compare to almost every other Santa film, where the North Pole has "normal" day and night cycles.
** Lucy is almost seven, the age at which experts believe children gain the ability to tell right from wrong, and, by extension, the ability to keep a secret. In the first film, Charlie is the same age, so his being along for the ride is a big deal.

* SilentRunningMode: To avoid being detected by a passing plane, Santa has the elves shut everything down at the North Pole. Curtis almost ruins it, however, by listening to a musical dancing doll.
* SleepyHead: The Sandman is prone to this, especially during council meetings.
* SnarkToSnarkCombat: Scott and Laura engage in this at the beginning of the film. Justified since they went through an apparently nasty divorce.

* SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay: In the second film, Scott needs the Tooth Fairy's help to get back to the North Pole. Unfortunately, Scott has completely "desantafied" by this point and the Tooth Fairy doesn't recognize him in his regular form. Scott convinces him by rattling off the details of their last council meeting, including Scott's suggestion of "The Molarnator" as Tooth Fairy's new title.
* SongParody: In the BadFuture of 3, Jack Frost performs a parody of Music/FrankSinatra's "New York, New York".
* SpottingTheThread: Toy Santa would look just like Santa... if his face and hair weren't obviously made of inorganic material. Bernard tries to cover this by saying Santa had some work done and is sensitive about it.

* SugarAndIcePersonality: Carol in the second movie. She's had her heart broken before, so Scott really has to work at making a connection with her and winning her affections.
* SurpriseSantaEncounter: Lucy finds out that Uncle Scott really is Santa Claus and gets in on being a SecretKeeper.
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Abby in the second film, for Judy in the first film. An unnamed elf played by a different actress appears in the third film wearing the same costume, but it's not clear if she's meant to be either character.
* TakeYouAsideTalk: In the first film, these situations set up discussions about the effects of Scott's becoming Santa Claus; in the later two films, Scott is usually about to receive bad news.
* TakingTheKids: Scott's wife in the first film thinks Scott is an unfit father, starts thinking he's crazy once the Santa stuff begins happening, and ultimately wins sole custody of Charlie.
* TemporaryBulkChange: In the second movie, Comet eats so much chocolate that he becomes too fat to fly. The Tooth Fairy takes Scott to the North Pole to defeat the Toy Santa, and Chet takes Comet's place when they deliver the toys.
* TemptingFate: In 2, Bernard remains unconvinced that Toy Santa can be an effective replacement for Scott, much to Curtis's annoyance. Eventually, Curtis convinces him to admit nothing would go wrong... ''immediately'' before Toy Santa goes off the rails.
* TerminatorTwosome: The third movie has Scott and Jack Frost go back in time to the first movie to fight over the previous Santa's coat so they can become the new Santa.
* ThemeInitials: Pointed out by Charlie with regards to '''S'''cott '''C'''alvin/'''S'''anta '''C'''laus.
* TimelineAlteringMacGuffin: Santa's snowglobe in the third movie, which is used in invoking an Escape Clause. Jack Frost takes it and convinces Scott to wish he'd never become Santa, which takes them both back to the night where Scott originally became Santa. Jack then steals the previous Santa's suit before Scott can, ultimately creating a BadFuture where he's a BadSanta.
* TitleDrop: In the first movie, when Bernard is explaining Scott's new status to him, he says that "When you put on the suit, you fell subject to the Santa Clause."
* TookALevelInBadAss: Charlie in the second film; puberty can do wonders for a guy.
* TookALevelInKindness: Scott after he becomes the new Santa Claus. Also, Laura and Neal after they realize Scott is really Santa Claus.
* TheToothHurts: Happens in the second film. Left without any means to fly back to the North Pole on their own, everyone tries to pull one of Scott's teeth so the Tooth Fairy will show up and they can ask him for a ride. Scott winds up repeatedly hurting himself and without any teeth to show for it. Thankfully, Lucy just happens to lose a tooth before going to bed.
* TwoTimerDate: Scott has to spend most of December looking after Charlie and trying to find a wife. The problem is that's exactly when he has to be at the North Pole doing his Santa duties. They create Toy Santa to get around this.
* TyrantTakesTheHelm: Toy Santa in the second film becomes a LiteralGenie dictatorial monster who nearly ruins Christmas when he decides no children are good enough to get presents so they should ''all'' get coal. Jack Frost steals the Santa position via TimeTravel in the third film.
* {{Understatement}}: In the first film, as soon as he is done shaving off his Santa beard and dying his hair dark, only for the beard to immediately grow back and his hair to turn white again, Scott exclaims, "I'm in big trouble, mm-hmm."
* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom:
** Charlie's constant appraisals of his dad's new role as Santa Claus really doesn't go over well with his mother and stepfather, who think Scott is emotionally manipulating Charlie. Same goes for the kids at the park who approach Scott of their own free will to share their Christmas wishes, which only alarms Laura and Neal that much more. Justified though as they're all just kids.
** Curtis from the second film, who neglects to notify Santa of the "Mrs. Clause" until Scott has all of four weeks to seek out a new wife if he wants to keep his job. He does eventually fess up to having let pride blind him on that one. And that's to say nothing of his creation of the Toy Santa...
* UsurpingSanta: ''The Santa Clause III'' had Jack Frost wanting to take over as Santa rather than be a herald of the season.
* VisibleToBelievers: In the Workshop, Judy the elf states this to Scott, adding, "kids don't need to see this place to know that it's there. They just... know."
* VitriolicBestBuds: In the second film, Scott still pokes fun at Neal but makes it clear he still sees him as a good friend.
* WackyCravings: As a side effect of the Santafication process, Scott has a much greater SweetTooth and taste for milk than he did prior.
* WeddingDeadline: Santa has to be officially married before Christmas Eve turns Christmas Day at midnight or he'll lose his powers and there will be no Santa. [[FridgeLogic Very surprising, considering the efforts the elves make to to ensure that there is always a Santa.]]

* WhatAreYouInFor: Again, the Denny's scene. The waitress asks if Scott and Charlie are part of the corporate group which is seated in the front room of the restaurant, then seats them among other people who are in the same situation as they are.
* WhatIsThisFeeling: Jack Frost experiences happiness and warm feelings when Lucy hugs him.
* [[ItsAWonderfulPlot Wonderful Life]]: In the third film, Scott realizes that without his becoming Santa, his entire family ends up a bunch of greedy cynics.
* WroteTheBook: The third movie has:
-->'''Lucy''': Okay, okay, chill!\\
'''Jack Frost''': I invented chill!
* JustForFun/XMeetsY: Creator/MarkKermode described it as "''Film/MiracleOnThirtyFourthStreet'' meets ''Film/TheFly1986'' - with Creator/TimAllen".

** To a small extent, Laura is because of how she tries to argue with Scott in the beginning which would make sense on what lead to their divorce on her part, while with Scott it would most likely be over his arrogant cynicism and negligence.

* {{Mondegreen}}: An InUniverse example; Charlie mishears the line "Arose such a clatter" as "a rose suchak ladder". Hilariously, after accidentally knocking Santa off the roof, Tim runs into a ladder from the "Rose Suchak Ladder Company".

-->'''Curtis:''' Santa, there's a clause.\\

* LighterAndSofter: The first film is rated PG and the next two are both G. Although the first was just ''barely'' a PG thanks to a few GettingCrapPastTheRadar bits from Allen, this trope is still present in that both sequels have a more child-friendly tone.

* NiceGuy: Scott after he gets rid of his {{jerkass}} behaviors [[CharacterDevelopment and accepts being the new Santa Claus]].

** During his first trip to the North Pole, Scott picks up a [[Series/HomeImprovement tool belt]] and holds it across his waist. He then shakes his head and puts it down.

* AwesomeMcCoolname: The Tooth Fairy wants a better name, so Scott joking calls him "The Molinator".

* BigNo: Jack Frost in the third film, when Scott foils him. First, when Scott is able to invoke the Escape Clause, and then again when he realizes Scott has prevented him from altering the timeline again as Scott's past self becomes Santa like in the first movie.

* MarqueeAlterEgo: Tim Allen spends a significant chunk of all three movies as Scott and reverts back to Santa in time for the HappyEnding.

* NotThatKindOfDoctor: {{Inverted}} in the first film; when people refer to Neal as a doctor, Scott sarcastically replies "He's not a doctor, he's a ''psychiatrist.''" Psychiatrists actually ''are'' medical doctors; it's psyc''holog''ists who are the Ph.D's.

-->'''Bernard:''' It's... Charlie.
-->'''Scott:''' Sheen? I thought he straightened out.

* TimelineAlteringMacGuffin: Santa's snowglobe in the third movie, which is used in invoking an Escape Clause. Jack Frost takes it, convinces Scott to wish he'd never become Santa, and ultimately creates a BadFuture where he's a BadSanta.
* TitleDrop: In the first thing, when Bernard is explaining Scott's new status to him, he says that "When you put on the suit, you fell subject to the Santa Clause."

* CorruptCorporateExecutive: Jack Frost is this in the alternate timeline in the third film. He turns the North Pole into a theme park, lets people pay to get on the Nice List, and generally exploits his position as Santa for all its worth.

* DeadpanSnarker: Scott Calvin is easily the snarkiest character in the whole series, in typical Tim Allen fashion. Bernard and Charlie has their moments of this as well.
* DefconFive: The North Pole has the "ELFCON" system, which tracks the threat of the workshop being discovered by the outside world.

-->Scott: Everybody likes Denny's! It's an American institution! \\
(Cut to restaurant full of Japanese businessmen)
* DisappearedDad: Scott always loved Charlie, but the first movie demonstrates how much more focused with business he was. Becoming Santa obviously helps him get his priorities in order. However, in an irony, Scott still falls into this by the second movie - [[DaddyHadAGoodReasonForAbandoningYou though now because of the workload involved in caring for all the children of the world]].

* DIYDentistry: Having lost his magic in the sequel, Scott needs a way to get back to the North Pole to stop Toy Santa's takeover. He and Curtis attempt to pull out one of his teeth to prompt a visit from ToothFairy with both the "tie string to the doorknob" and "tie string to a toaster" tricks. Neither work on his adult teeth; thankfully, Lucy is an actual child who just naturally loses her tooth in time.

* SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay: In the second film, Scott needs the Tooth Fairy's help to get back to the North Pole. Unfortunately, Scott has completely "desantafied" by this point and the Tooth Fairy doesn't recognize him in his regular form. Scott convinces him by rattling off the details of their last council meeting, including Scott's suggestion of "The Molinator" as Tooth Fairy's new title.

* TimelineAlteringMacGuffin: Santa's coat in the third movie. Jack Frost takes it and creates a BadFuture where he's a BadSanta.

* TookALevelInKindness: Scott after he becomes the new Santa Claus.
** Also, Laura and Neal after they realize Scott is really Santa Claus.

-->'''Lucy''': Okay, okay, chill!
-->'''Jack Frost''': I invented chill!

** Also, in the beginning of the second film, Curtis plays with a toy. Later he creates a life-size toy Santa to takeover the workshop for Scott.

** Also at the beginning of the first movie, Scott and Charlie eat at Denny's.

** And again in the second film:

* SecondEpisodeMorning: Scott tries desperately to dismiss his first night in the North Pole as a dream, and hide the Santification process.

* SecretIdentity: Scott has to keep his identity as Santa a secret, as part of the "Secret Of Santa" ordeal, otherwise the spirit of Christmas would cease to exist.

* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Abby in the second film, for Judy in the first film. An unnamed elf played by a different actress appears in the third film wearing the same costume, but its not clear if she's meant to be either character.

** Charlie's constant appraisals of his Dad's new role as Santa Claus really doesn't go over well with his mother and stepfather, who think Scott is emotionally manipulating Charlie. Same goes for the kids at the park who approach Scott of their own free will to share their Christmas wishes, which only alarms Laura and Neal that much more. Justified though as they're all just kids.

* TimeAlteringMacGuffin: Santa's coat in the third movie. Jack Frost takes it and creates a BadFuture where he's a BadSanta.

* ParentWithNewParamour: Scott has to get married in ''2'' to fulfill the conditions of the Mrs. Clause. He falls in love with Carol... who also happens to be Charlie's hated principal. When Charlie first finds out they're dating, he's devastated, but later decides that his father's happiness is more important and tries to convince Carol to believe in Scott.

* AnIcePerson: Jack Frost, who can freeze anything with his ice breath.

* MissionImpossibleCableDrop: In the second movie, Charlie drops through a skylight in the school gym with a harness and rope, so he can paint graffiti on the wall.

* TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody: Scott gradually takes on Santa's traits and kind demeanor. Compare when he visits the little girl's house in the first movie as his normal jerky self, then later as Santa.
* TimeTravel: Jack Frost uses this to go back to the first film's events and get the coat from the previous Santa before Scott can. However, you would think that Jack Frost would have to put on the whole suit in order for the Santa magic to take effect on him like it did Scott, and because that is what the Santa card said. So, in spite of Scott in the sequels mistakenly making references to the card saying that whoever put on the coat would be subject to the duties of Santa Claus instead of saying suit like everyone else did in the first movie, Jack Frost was still able to pull off stealing the position in the alternate universe by just putting on the coat instead of the whole suit. However, though, he then returns to the present and turns Christmas into a commercialized parody of itself.
** Thankfully, this is undone when Scott invokes the Escape Clause again, and is able to keep Frost pinned down long enough for his past self to put on the coat and restore the original timeline, much to Frost's chagrin.