In the spirit of the holidays (and slow news days), I present to you the Harry Potter fan theory that Santa Claus, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, Father Christmas, whatever you like to call him, is a wizard. I might just accept this headcanon more than any other.
Unlike new information Rowling herself is known for giving out or other lesser-known facts fans have dug up over the years, this latest theory is strictly conjecture. In this case, redditor Arumple writes “The whole ‘Santa coming down the chimney’ thing is clearly just a muggle conspiracy to cover up the fact that Santa is a wizard traveling by floo powder.”
Floo powder, of course, being the means of magical transportation through the Floo Network, a.k.a. fireplaces. Makes you think, doesn’t it?
Saint Nicholas was an actual Christian saint who lived in the 4th century, but Santa himself isn’t a character in the Harry Potter books even though Christmas is vitally important (to Ron, anyway). Father Christmas is mentioned a few times (Santa Claus in the U.S. version), but there’s no indication his existence is any different for wizards as it is for Muggles.
But we all know celebrations surrounding the Christmas holiday include major decorations at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry — twelve Christmas trees, real live fairies, and snow indoors just to name a few. Students are also given off a few weeks, although some choose to stay and celebrate at Hogwarts. When students wake up on Christmas morning, their presents are piled at the foot of their beds. You would assume House Elves were involved, but that just leads us right back to Santa, doesn’t it?
If Rowling did want to bring The Claus into Harry Potter canon for real, this fan’s theory would be the perfect way to explain it. Especially when you include the subsequent responses from other fans: “Santa is clearly a wizard with a time turner,” “Rudolph’s nose didn’t glow, it was just Wizard Santa’s patronus leading the way,” “employs hundreds of house elfs who spend all year making gifts.”
Considering how long he’s been around, some even surmised he must have a Philosopher’s Stone in his possession and perhaps an undetectable extension charm on his famous gift bag. Some of the theories are truly inventive — “Santa transfigures coal into gifts, and the transfiguration only stays permanent if the child is nice!” — but the examples are numerous (you really should check out the whole reddit thread for more). Sure, Santa’s wonderful ways have been explained away as “magic” for a long time already, but perhaps he does have a special place in the wizarding world.
(Via Time)
