History Main / MistakenForSanta

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': A variation -- at the beginning of "Holidays of Future Passes", Marge gets the family ready for their Christmas card photo after Thanksgiving dinner, which includes putting a Santa hat on Grampa while he [[FaceplantingIntoFood sleeps face-down in his food]]. He then wakes up and is convinced ''he's'' Santa after seeing his reflection with the hat and a "beard" of mashed potatoes.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'': Inverted in "The Santa Experience", when a man in Santa garb shows up, and the adults think he's a pretend Santa they hired, but then he turns out to be [[RealAfterAll the real Santa]] when the fake one calls to say he couldn't make it, and the visitor turns out to have flying reindeer.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': A variation -- at the beginning of "Holidays of Future Passes", Marge gets the family ready for their Christmas card photo after Thanksgiving dinner, which includes putting a Santa hat on Grampa while he [[FaceplantingInToFood sleeps face-down in his food]]. He then wakes up and is convinced ''he's'' Santa after seeing his reflection with the hat and a "beard" of mashed potatoes.

* In the [[https://youtu.be/KfaSxIkLslE?si=GL2h4iSOwzegVvPX 2017 Christmas Advert]] for British Department Store ''Marks and Spencer'' the version of ''Franchise/PaddingtonBear'' from the live action movies encounters a beareded burglar dressed in a red jacket and a red StockingMask, who was stealing presents on Christmas eve. The innocent bear assumes the burglar is Santa out on delivery and "helps" the burglar deliver the presents back. Seeing the joy the presents bring after his thieving is undone, and spending time with the kind and earnest Paddington, winds up reforming the burglar in one night.

* In the [[https://youtu.be/KfaSxIkLslE?si=GL2h4iSOwzegVvPX 2017 Christmas Advert]] for British Department Store ''Marks and Spencer'' the version of ''Franchise/PaddingtonBear'' from the live action movies encounters a beareded burglar dressed in a red hoodie and hat, who was stealing presents on Christmas eve. The innocent bear assumes the burglar is Santa out on delivery and "helps" the burglar deliver the presents back. Seeing the joy the presents bring after his thieving is undone, and spending time with the kind and earnest Paddington, winds up reforming the burglar in one night.

* ''Anime/DiGiCharatNyo'': Inverted. Dejiko needs to help Santa, who she is convinced is just her inventor friend Yasushi in a PaperThinDisguise, deliver presents around the Lucky Cat Shopping District. The end of the episode reveals that Yasushi had been asleep in [[ChristmasTown his workshop]] for the past few days as he had been busy designing and building toys, causing Dejiko to realize that she had been helping the real deal.

* In the [[https://youtu.be/KfaSxIkLslE?si=GL2h4iSOwzegVvPX 2017 Christmas Advert]] for British Department Store ''Marks and Spencer'' the version of '"Franchise/PaddingtonBear'' from the live action movies encounters a beareded burglar dressed in a red hoodie and had stealing presents on Christmas eve. The innocent bear assumes the burglar is Santa out on delivery and "helps" the burglar deliver the presents back, seeing the joy the presents bring after his thieving is undone, and spending time with the kind and earnest Paddington, winds up reforming the burglar in one night.

A character is minding their (usually his) own business, when suddenly, someone else (usually a kid) points at him and says, "Look, it's SantaClaus!" when actually, he's just an ordinary Joe; he just happened to be an old, fat man with a white beard, and/or wearing a red suit.

If it's a child, this usually shows that ChildrenAreInnocent, especially if Santa doesn't actually exist in the setting. It could also be portrayed as InnocentInaccurate if the guy is actually an intruder. If it's an adult, then it's overlapping with StillBelievesInSanta, and thus often portrays them as [[{{Manchild}} childish]] (even if [[KiddieKid they're a child themselves]]), [[TheDitz dumb]], [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} goofy]], or naive.

Contrast MallSanta, who's usually not an example, since he's trying to actually pass himself off as Santa, although an adult mistaking a mall Santa for the real Santa could qualify as mall Santas generally aren't trying to convince adults. Similarly, people who are UsurpingSanta or SubbingForSanta don't count. Compare MistakenForClown, MistakenForSubculture, ComicallyMissingThePoint, and YourCostumeNeedsWork. If it's an AmbiguousSituation as to whether it was a mistake or if he's really Santa, that's SantaAmbiguity. Subtrope of MistakenIdentity. Justified if it was a PseudoSanta. TruthInTelevision for many men with white beards.

* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'': In “Carpet Diem”, after swapping bodies with elderly hillbilly Old Man McGuckett, Grenda thinks she’s become Santa Claus.

* In the ''Literature/{{Mog}}'' book "Mog's Christmas", Mog the cat is on the roof and sleeps on the chimney pot; and then falls down the chimney, into the room where the family are eating. An aunt exclaims, "It's Father Christmas!", and another aunt says, "No dear, [[ComicallyMissingThePoint Father Christmas does not have a tail]]."

* Inverted in ''Anime/DiGiCharatNyo''. Dejiko needs to help Santa, who she is convinced is just her inventor friend Yasushi in a PaperThinDisguise, deliver presents around the Lucky Cat Shopping District. The end of the episode reveals that Yasushi had been asleep in [[ChristmasTown his workshop]] for the past few days as he had been busy designing and building toys, causing Dejiko to realize that she had been helping the real deal.

* Inverted in ''ComicBook/FatherChristmas''. When Father Christmas collects his Santa suit from the dry cleaners on Christmas Eve, the lady comments, "Off to a fancy dress party then, sir?". Father Christmas growls, "I should be so bloomin' lucky!", as he contemplates the night's work. This is played with in the sequel ''Father Christmas Goes on Holiday'', when he tries not to be recognised on his travels, but three times somebody wonders if he is Santa Claus, forcing him to make a quick exit.

* Played for laughs in a Jenny Craig ad, where a woman in a red robe is bent over by the Christmas tree, and her young daughter on the second floor landing sees her and gleefully calls out, "Santa Claus!"

--> '''Little Boy:''' "He ''is'' Santa Claus!"

* Inverted in ''ComicBook/FatherChristmas''. When Father Christmas collects his Santa suit from the dry cleaner's on Christmas Eve, the lady comments, "Off to a fancy dress party then, sir?". Father Christmas growls, "I should be so bloomin' lucky!", as he contemplates the night's work. This is played with in the sequel ''Father Christmas Goes on Holiday'', when he tries not to be recognised on his travels, but three times somebody wonders if he is Santa Claus, forcing him to make a quick exit.
* ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor'': After Ruby is murdered by Zaniac, Thor takes her two orphaned sons to Asgard, where they are adopted by Volstagg. When the boys first meet their adoptive father, they take notice of his large belly, reddish outfit and thick beard, and ask him if he is Santa Claus.

* Subverted in the 1994 remake of ''Film/MiracleOnThirtyFourthStreet,'' which opens with a grandfather and grandson waiting to cross the street at the same time as an elderly gentleman with a white beard. The little boy looks up with awe, tugging on his grandfather's arm and pestering him to "ask him!" The grandfather tries to shush him, but to no avail. Eventually, he apologetically admits the little boy thinks the gentleman is Santa Claus. The adults have a good laugh over this, as though this is ridiculous. Then the gentleman (Kris), leans over to speak to the little boy, and whispers "I am!" in his ear, much to the child's shock.

* ''Literature/ImNot'': In "I'm Not Santa", Baby Owl's winter hat is red and he is pushing a sledge, causing another baby bird to think he is Santa, and cry when Baby Owl tries to correct him. He tries [[SureLetsGoWithThat pretending to be Santa to go along with it]], but by then, the other bird has figured out the truth, and gets mad at Baby Owl for "lying", making them both cry. Luckily, however, Santa comes and cheers them both up.
* In the ''Literature/{{Mog}}'' book "Mog's Christmas", Mog the cat is on the roof, and sleeps on the chimney pot; and then falls down the chimney, into the room where the family are eating. An aunt exclaims, "It's Father Christmas!", and another aunt says, "No dear, [[ComicallyMissingThePoint Father Christmas does not have a tail]]."

* ''Series/TheBrittasEmpire'': The episode "[[Recap/TheBrittasEmpireCS2SurvivingChristmas Surviving Christmas]]" sees a MallSanta in pursuit of the staff with the intent of killing them, riding by bicycle. In the end, Colin sees said MallSanta in the distance leaving behind his bicycle and is led to believe that this is the real Santa, having finally given him the bike he wanted since he was a little boy.

* ''WesternAnimation/InspectorGadget'': In "Gone Went the Wind", Gadget travels to the North Pole and, after becoming snow blind, thinks a polar bear is Santa and jumps into his lap, reciting his Christmas list.

* Subverted in the 1994 remake of ''Film/MiracleOnThirtyFourthStreet,'' which opens with a grandfather and grandson waiting to cross the street at the same time as an elderly gentleman with a white beard. The little boy looks up with awe, tugging on his grandfather's arm and pestering him to "ask him!" The grandfather tries to shush him, but to no avail. Eventually, he apologetically admits the little boy thinks the gentleman is Santa Claus. The adults have a good laugh over this, as though this is ridiculous. Then the gentleman (Chris), leans over to speak to the little boy, and whispers "I am!" in his ear, much to the child's shock.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* Subverted -- in ''Film/Hellboy2004'', a patient with Down's Syndrome at Liz Sherman's sanitorium reports seeing a "big red guy" outside the window. One of the staff thinks she's talking about Santa, seeing as it's the Christmas season, but the patient confirms that what she saw ''wasn't'' Santa, and she's right- it's [[BigRedDevil Hellboy]] himself, having stopped by the sanitorium to share drinks with [[LoveInterest Liz]].

-->'''Bridget''': Wait. You still believe in Santa?
-->'''Trisha''': Well, I haven't been nice all year for nothing.
-->'''Bridget''': So your parents never told you that he wasn't real?
-->'''Trisha''': Oh, they try to tell me every year. But every year, I come back, and look who's here! So who's got egg on their face now?!
-->'''Bridget''': [[DeadpanSnarker Well, if ignorance is bliss, you must be one very happy fucking idiot.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': A variation -- At the beginning of "Holidays of Future Passes", Marge gets the family ready for their Christmas card photo after Thanksgiving dinner, which includes putting a Santa hat on Grampa while he [[FaceplantingInToFood sleeps face-down in his food]]. He then wakes up and is convinced ''he's'' Santa after seeing his reflection with the hat and a "beard" of mashed potatoes.

* [[https://www.boredpanda.com/homeless-man-looks-like-santa-entitled-mom-library/?cexp_id=84517&cexp_var=45&_f=featured This]] man was mistaken for Santa by a girl of about four due to having a white beard, being large, and (due to being homeless) carrying bags. The girl's mother was annoyed at this and even [[NoSympathy told him to leave]].

* ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiSuperstarSaga'': While hunting for pieces of the beanstar, the brothers meet a hermit crab named Hermie III whose shell has been decorated to look like a Christmas tree. Hermie notices the brothers and makes not of Mario's red clothes and mustache. He immediate assumes Mario to be "[[SpeechImpediment Thanta Clauth]]".

* ''Webcomic/{{Housepets}}: [[https://www.housepetscomic.com/comic/2009/07/01/do-those-still-exist/ Peanut cheerfully greets]] his Uncle Reuben (A bearded man in red) upon meeting him with 'Hi, Santa!' which he makes no attempt to correct.

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