* AwesomeDearBoy: Creator/TerryZwigoff immediately wanted to direct this film after he read the line "Sweet Jews for Jesus!" in the script.
* BlackSheepHit: This was Creator/TerryZwigoff's only financially successful move. The rest of his filmography consists of low-key and ''very'' uncommercial {{acclaimed flop}}s and while this film's script is in step with his usual brand of BlackComedy, it's also the one which most closely resembles a normal studio comedy.
* ChannelHop:
** While it was produced by Creator/{{Miramax}} when it was subsidiary of Creator/{{Disney}}, the film is now owned by Creator/{{Paramount}} after they bought 49% of Miramax.
** The film was pitched to Creator/{{Universal}}, who turned it down on the grounds that it was (in the studio heads words): "the most foul, disgusting, misogynistic, anti-Christmas, anti-children thing we could imagine", and Miramax picked it up for those exact same reasons.
* CompletelyDifferentTitle: The Czech title for this film translates to ''Santa is a Pervert''.
* CreatorsFavorite: According to Creator/BillyBobThornton's Autobiography, ''The Billy Bob Tapes'', not only is this one of his favorite roles, it's one of three things in his life that he would gladly relive if he had the chance to do it again. [[note]] The other two being in Film/TheAlamo2004 and his time on the Arkansas Highway Patrol in 1979. [[/note]]
* DeletedRole: Creator/SarahSilverman appeared as a Santa trainer in a DeletedScene. She's still shown in the trailers for the film, though.
* ExecutiveMeddling:
** Creator/TerryZwigoff wanted to cast Creator/MiraSorvino (possibly as Willie's girlfriend) but could not because Harvey Weinstein blacklisted her after Sorvino rejected Weinstein's sexual advances.
** According to the book ''Down and Dirty Pictures'', Bob Weinstein kicked Zwigoff off the film and hired a new director to reshoot the ending, though Zwigoff was eventually re-hired. One of Creator/TheCoenBrothers bluntly said that this was the main reason they'd avoided Creator/{{Miramax}} for most of their career. A Directors Cut was later released that's closer to Zwigoff's vision.
* FakeAmerican: Canadian Brett Kelly as Thurman.
* HeyItsThatPlace: The parking lot behind the department store, which is featured in many scenes, is the same parking lot where Louis shoots Melanie in ''Film/JackieBrown''.
* InMemoriam: The film is dedicated to Creator/JohnRitter. This wound up being the last movie he ever did before he collapsed and died on the set for ''Series/EightSimpleRules''.
* PosthumousCredit: Creator/JohnRitter, who played the mall manager, died before this film was released.
* SequelGap: The sequel was released 13 years after the original.
* ThrowItIn: Creator/TonyCox ad-libbed the "You probably shouldn't be digging in your ass" line. Terry Zwigoff found the line so funny that he admitted to repeatedly cracking up on set and even waking up in the middle of the night laughing.
* UncreditedRole:
** While Creator/TheCoenBrothers were credited as Executive Producers, they also re-wrote the screenplay, specifically the dialogue; but because Writers Guild of America requires you to write a certain percentage of the script, the brothers had to go un-credited.
** Creator/ToddPhillips was hired to shoot new scenes in an uncredited role, such as when Willie teaches the Kid how to fight and the scenes with the advent calendar.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
** Creator/BillMurray was the original choice for the lead, but he had to decline due to scheduling conflicts with ''Film/LostInTranslation''. Creator/JackNicholson was interested, but he was busy with ''Film/SomethingsGottaGive''. Creator/LarryDavid, Creator/RobertDeNiro and Creator/DenisLeary were also considered.
** Creator/TerryZwigoff revealed in a [[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bad-santa-director-says-he-was-discouraged-hiring-mira-sorvino-1068673 now deleted tweet]] that he was forbidden from casting Creator/MiraSorvino, due to executive producer Harvey Weinstein blacklisting her after she turned down his sexual advances.
** Creator/TheCoenBrothers initially tailored roles for specific actors, such as Creator/JamesGandolfini as Willie (since they had worked with him on ''Film/TheManWhoWasntThere2001''), Creator/DannyWoodburn as Marcus and Creator/AngusTJones as Thurman.
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