Santa Camp

[8.0/10] I sat there, visibly shaking with anger, when “Santa Chris” came onto the screen with a look that deeply offended my sensibilities. I don’t care where you come from, what you look like, or what you believe -- some things are just wrong. Chris may have had noble intentions, but him wearing that outfit in public, with all the cultural baggage that comes with it, inflicted a psychic wound on me and everything I was raised to believe.

What I’m saying is: if he’s originally from Texas, why the hell is he wearing a Green Bay Packers t-shirt?

Other than that grave offense, *Santa Camp* is a wonderful documentary. I enjoyed it as a glimpse into a subculture I knew very little about. I enjoyed it as a look at both the joys and speedbumps of longstanding organizations trying to diversify their ranks. I enjoyed it as a series of vignettes of the clashes and commonalities found when individuals who buck what’s expected and traditional are invited into spaces where they are not the norm. And I enjoyed it as a look at the trials and tribulations of the people with the courage to break those norms, both the blowback they face but also the solidarity and solace they inspire.

In terms of its presentation, *Santa Camp* is sturdy and straightforward, but also fairly seamless. It’s not hard to anticipate where the documentary is heading with everything it presents, and certain moments seem massaged or even staged. But there’s a remarkable balance of the main figures and stories, and a strong progression in how issues bubble up, are explored, and resolved, that make the film both engrossing and accessible.

The film finds good individual stories to explore racism, sexism, ableism, and transphobia. The people it centers are sympathetic and courageous, bringing the notion of Santa into places where it’s needed most, and helping to bridge divides.(That very much includes Chris, if you’ll forgive the tongue-in-cheek intro.)

The film knows how to tug at your heartstrings, with the struggles its non-traditional Santas face and the joys that come when they reach the right people, or find support in their communities, or get to live out their dream. And the film doesn’t shy away from the ugliness lined up against them, from repugnant letters to Proud Boy harassment. As compelling as those stories are, some of the most interesting material in the documentary comes from the Santa Camp organizers trying to open their doors to more kinds of Santas, sometimes fumbling the ball, but earnestly, if awkwardly, trying to broaden the holly jolly tent.

In that vein, it’s hard not to be galled and also moved at what *Santa Camp* represents. What and whom we allow to represent one of the most venerated western icons says a lot about where we are as a country and a culture. Ultimately, this is a film about representation and change, the people who want to make room on the mantelpiece to hang more and more folks’ stockings, and the people who want to tear them down.

But it’s also about a trans kid being inspired by seeing a santa who they can relate to. It’s about a father setting an example for his child. And it’s about a venerable Santa who thinks the magic in a child’s eyes when they see Kris Kringle ought to belong to everyone. That ecumenical spirit, earned and celebrated despite undue hardship and plenty of anguish, makes *Santa Camp* an insightful and ultimately uplifting film, that even fans of the Green Bay Packers should be allowed to enjoy.