If the movie Elf starring Will Ferrell isn’t on your list of all-time favorite holiday movies, we need to have a conversation ASAP. It’s hysterical, heartwarming, iconic in every way, and Buddy the Elf’s antics will make you smile whether you’re a fan of Christmas or not. Recently, a scene from the classic comedy inspired the “Santa’s Coming” TikTok trend in which creators are trying to contain their excitement for various events — from getting Starbucks to visiting their siblings over the holidays. Like Elf itself, the trend is lighthearted, funny, easy to execute, and the perfect way to spread holiday cheer with a side of humor.
In case you haven’t seen Elf yet, allow me to introduce you to the movie’s main character, Buddy, an eccentric (oversized) elf who travels from the North Pole to New York City to find his biological father. As you can imagine, chaos ensues the minute Buddy arrives in the Big Apple, and his amusing adventures take him from the subway and Central Park to Gimbels, a department store where he eventually finds a job. One day, the department store team is preparing for “Santa’s visit” — AKA an event where a Santa impersonator will help spread cheer to little kids who visit the store. However, Buddy the Elf believes it’s his real-life BFF Santa from the North Pole and gets way too excited for the big day.
The scene that inspired the trend involves Buddy’s coworker announcing, “Okay, people, tomorrow morning, 8AM — Santa’s coming to town!” followed by Buddy screaming, “SANTA! OH MY GOD!” Ferrell is jumping up and down. He’s screaming. He’s giving A+ Christmas enthusiasm, and his coworker is not having it — and in my opinion, it’s one of the best scenes in the entire movie.
In the “Santa’s Coming” TikTok trend, creators all over the world are using this delightful soundbite from the Elf scene to express their excitement for anything and everything, from club volleyball and the end of exam week to the new Spiderman movie. The goal of the trend is to present a scenario teasing something you’re excited about, followed by footage of you (or someone else) being absolutely amped about that thing. First, you’ll present the scenario via text overlay in line with Buddy’s coworker’s dialogue, and when Buddy starts screaming, “SANTA! OH MY GOD!” you’ll state what you’re excited about while appearing equally as pumped as he is for Santa. Bonus points if you can shake the camera a bunch for a dramatic flair, as @annaxsitar demonstrates perfectly in her version about taking a trip to Target.
There are many top-notch examples of the “Santa’s Coming” trend on TikTok, like this one from @jocy.may who can’t wait for her hair appointment, and this one from creator @cheaptomato who’s amped about deviled eggs. TikToker @lightlyseasoned’s mom is way too ready for Hallmark Christmas movies, and @susi.vidal loses her mind when her partner suggests pasta for dinner after a long day. Once again, the goal is to tease a scenario that you’re looking forward to, then go absolutely bananas with Buddy the Elf as if there is nothing more exciting on the planet.
The trending audio has already been used in over 96,000 videos on TikTok, and it’s easy to see why. The trend itself is entertaining, leaves lots of room for creativity, and captures a universal emotion; which I always say is the ideal recipe for any viral TikTok trend. So, whether you just ran into your favorite cousin at dinner, you’re ecstatic about your crush texting you back, or you’re actually counting the days until Christmas, the “Santa’s Coming” TikTok trend is the perfect one to try this season.