Let's Discuss: The Dark Side of the Santa Clause

I recently read an article that briefly touches on how the Christmas classic, The Santa Clause has a dark side to it. I thought for sure it was going to be what I was just mentioning to my mom when I rewatched it myself a few weeks ago, but it was something entirely different!

The Dark Side of The Santa Clause

So you may already know the story of The Santa Clause. Scott Calvin is a divorcee dad who is spending Christmas Eve with his son Charlie, when he hears something on his roof late at night. Turns out it was Santa Clause and when he yells at him, Santa falls off the roof, dies and then Scott is now the new Santa Clause.

Then apparently in the sequel I never saw, 8 years later Scott is told he has to marry and bring in a new Mrs. Clause. That brought to question...where was the old Mrs. Clause to the Santa that died when Scott took over? There's speculation that it's one of three things, one: the old Santa was new to his job and hadn't made it to 8 years yet and hadn't married, two: Mrs. Clause dies (off scene) with Santa, three: after Santa dies the elves kicked Mrs. Clause out of the North Pole.

Almost either option seems pretty dark, even for Disney. Well, except the clean "the old Santa hadn't served for 8 years yet."

But how about we broach the darker element. When Charlie happily watches his father fly away on Christmas Eve, his stepdad tells him he'd make a great psychologist one day. He says, no. He wants to "go into the family business." 

Does he not realize he will have to murder his father in order to be Santa? We've got a 9 year old psychopath in the making and we're just so supposed to smile and say "aww" ?

I mean, even in the bring your parent to school day, a kid asked if he wants to be Santa when he grows up he just has to push Scott off the roof? They dance around the subject, but seriously. The only one to become Santa is if the previous one dies in front of you. And he won't die of old age or illness...so it's basically only murder, even if accidental!

But no, everyone just smiles and says "Aww!" at little Charlie wanting to go into the family business...eyeing his father's sleigh with desire...

True horror story if you ask me!

So what do you think of these dark twists a childhood classic has embedded in its tale?