Once December hits (or November, for some), it's time to break out the films like The Christmas Chronicles, there are so many entertaining and heartwarming holiday movies to watch at the end of each year. However, some contain an inconsistency that has been repeated time and time again, resulting in frustration during what's supposed to be a joyful and celebratory time.

In early 2024, Gary Goetzman, producer of The Polar Express, told Comicbook.com that a sequel is in the works at Warner Bros. However, the studio has yet to make any official announcements regarding the movie.

Of course, not everything is supposed to be taken at face value in Christmas films. Many of them center around a magical being who lives in the North Pole and delivers presents to all the children in the world one night a year, after all. Nevertheless, some plot holes are much more glaring than others. In particular, it's difficult not to notice one frustrating and baffling detail concerning some movies' portrayals of Santa Claus and his existence in their fictional worlds.

Santa Claus Exists In Movies Where Parents Don't Believe In Him

Films Like The Santa Clause Feature Adults Who Believe Santa Claus Is A Myth

Several films feature a version of Santa Claus that adults don't believe in, including popular Christmas movies such as The Santa Clause, Elf, and The Polar Express. From the get-go, the audience is aware that Santa is real within these fictional worlds. However, the adults in these films are completely clueless. All of them believed in Santa when they were younger, but once they grew up, they stopped, similar to how it is in real life. Unlike real life, though, Santa does exist in these holiday movies, and the parents are still dubious about his status as a living, breathing being.

The parents not believing in The Santa Clause, Elf, The Polar Express, etc. is so frustrating because he still gives their children presents, even though they don't think he's real. So, who do parents presume is leaving gifts underneath their Christmas trees? They don't believe in Santa, despite strange presents (which neither parent bought) appearing in their homes on Christmas morning each year. The adult characters in these particular holiday films should question the gifts that are clearly from Santa, but they never do.

Possible Explanations For Christmas Movies' Santa Plot Hole

Magic Could Justify Parents' Reactions To Santa Claus

At first glance, the plot hole concerning parents not believing in Santa Claus is quite confusing and unfathomable. However, perhaps there is an explanation that can rid The Santa Clause, Elf, and The Polar Express of this plot hole. It could all circle back to magic, which Santa has plenty of. However, even this theory has holes.

Santa might use his magic to make the parents think that they are the ones who bought his gifts for their children in these festive flicks. However, this would only work if Santa didn't want people to know he exists, which doesn't make sense. The whole point of Ed Asner's Santa character in Elf is that he needs everyone to believe in him. Plus, Santa would it to wanting to live in anonymity in Christmas movies. The other common explanation is that the parents are horrible at communicating and think their partner is the one behind the Christmas Day gifts.

Santa Claus Existing Raises Even More Questions

The Presents Situation Makes This Plot Hole All The More Complex

Unfortunately, this Santa Claus plot hole in holiday films runs deep. There are simply too many questions that the story will never be able to explain, including if all kids get presents from Santa, why parents also buy presents, and why some children don't get the gift they wanted (like in The Santa Clause). The truth of the matter is that we will probably never be able to solve this mystery. Sometimes, you have to ignore glaring plot holes such as the one about adults not believing in Santa, and just enjoy the Christmas movie.

Source: Comicbook.com