Who played the best Santa?

I’d say any Santa who has a real beard and doesn’t have halitosis is pretty good. It’s not like there’s a lot involved.

Forgot to mention my fave, Dan Aykroyd in Trading Places, not the most traditional portrayal, but hilarious certainly.

Edwund Gwenn in the 1947 movie Miracle on 34th St.

Billy Bob in Bad Santa so funny.

My father.

We had a tradition in our family that lasted a little over a decade. Everyone gathered at my parents house on Christmas Eve for dinner. When we were done eating my father would leave the room, then come back dressed as a character and he would hand out gifts.

My mother would put clues or hints around the house and before my father would come out dressed in character she would have us all write down our guess. The person who guessed correctly would win $20.

He’s been a cowboy Santa, Rudolph and Frosty the snowman, but my all-time favorite was Hillbilly Santa. Those are some great memories.

Nice one @jonsblond, that’s why I included relatives, a fine tradition full of happy memories.

Another vote for Edwund Gwenn.

If you want a fresh choice, Al ‘Red Dog’ Weber played him in The Night The Reindeer Died, a coming attraction in the movie “Scrooged”.

The best Santa I ever saw was driving Pinto in Derby Kansas. This was 1978. I thought that was cool. I don’t know if it was the real Santa or not though.

My grandfather used to dress as Santa, hitch up the trailer on back of his old Kubota tractor, and ride around the neighborhood picking up all the kids and anyone else who wanted to ride along, and we’d pass out candy canes and sing Christmas carols and all that jolly old jazz.

He did that every Christmas Eve for years. It was great.

Wow. What a nice memory. :) Merry Christmas.
(Somebody make me a character wreath, please.)

All of George Bailey’s friends and family at the end of “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

Edwund Gwenn, hands down for me

When I was growing up, there was a large local bakery which every December erected a big (or so I recall) mound-like structure covered with artificial snow atop which perched a big (or so I recall) sleigh and full-size (or so I recall) reindeer. Every day, or maybe it was only a few days a week, a line of kids was allowed to form in front of the sleigh and one by one they could climb up into Santa’s lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas. I don’t really remember sitting in his lap but I’m sure I did at least once or twice, and for me, he was the real Santa.

Years later I was driving past that location and noticed the bakery had been replaced by a new freeway exit. This made me very sad.

The Santa at the beginning of Miracle on 34th Street, the one that gets fired….

Anybody that goes to the effort to grow, bleach, trim and shape the beard, buy and sit in that hot red suit under the hot lights just to make snot nosed little kids happy.

(not bad kids mind you but they all seem to have runny noses or coughs.)