Hear the bells, smell the pine, see the lights, you think of Santa with his jolly laugh and snowy beard. But this Christmas, scientists say his magic isn’t about how he looks.
“There are pretty strong societal expectations around what Santa looks like, but we found that most anybody can be Santa if their heart desires it,” said Oregon State University’s Borbala Csillag, a co-author of a new study of professional Santas.
“When we looked at the people behind the suit, we found that the folks playing Santa are really more diverse than would be expected.”
The study, published in the Academy of Management Journal, was led by Christina Hymer of the University of Tennessee, with Csillag and Bethany Cockburn of Northern Illinois University as co-authors.
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The researchers interviewed more than 50 Santas and surveyed nearly 850 others across the United States. What they found was a sleigh full of diversity:
Prototypical Santas: Older white men with beards and bellies, who embody the traditional image and live their Santa identity year-round.
Semi-prototypical Santas: Those who adapt their differences into the role. One skinny Santa explained his trim figure by saying, ‘Santa was getting healthy.’ Another, who uses cochlear implants, told children it was a microphone to the head elf at the North Pole.
Non-prototypical Santas: Trailblazers such as women, people of color, or those with disabilities, who embrace the role despite not fitting the classic mold.
Their journeys weren’t always easy. An African American Santa was told a store wasn’t ready for a Santa of color, but he persisted. A physically disabled Santa reimagined the sleigh ride by using a motorized scooter in parades.
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“These atypical Santas are trailblazers,” said Csillag, the Stirek assistant professor of management in OSU’s College of Business. “The expectations for playing the role may seem exclusive, but they are surmountable.”
The study’s implications stretch far beyond the North Pole. Csillag noted that people who feel called to roles like teaching, nursing, or faith-based work may succeed even if they don’t meet traditional expectations.
“You don’t have to possess the ‘must-haves,’ such as looking a certain way or having a certain trait, to live out your calling,” she said. “Think about your attributes in a comprehensive way so you can identify the dimensions of the role that are well-fitting. You will likely find attributes that map to that calling, even if they are not obvious at first.”
She added that leaders of professional organizations hold the power to make roles more inclusive. “If we want to be open to a diverse set of people living out their calling, leaders might need to be a bit more flexible about what it means to fulfill the role,” Csillag said.
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This holiday season, the research offers a gentle reminder: Santa’s magic isn’t about the beard or belly. It’s about having the courage to share joy, the strength to get past rejection, and the kindness to help children believe in magic.
So whether you’re a prototypical Santa with a snowy beard, a semi-prototypical Santa weaving your own story, or a non-prototypical Santa breaking barriers, the sleigh bells ring for you too.
Christmas is really about love, creativity, and being together. It’s a gift to share.
Journal Reference:
- Who’s Behind the Red Suit? Exploring Role Prototypicality within Calling Enactment among Professional Santas. Academy of Management Journal. DOI: 10.5465/amj.2023.1161
