Call Me Claus

Call Me Claus is a 2001 American Christmas comedy television film directed by Peter Werner and starring Whoopi Goldberg and Nigel Hawthorne. The movie involves Santa Claus (Hawthorne) who needs a replacement Santa after serving his 200-year reign. He decides on Lucy Cullins (Goldberg), an eccentric, grouchy shopping network executive, who hires him to promote Christmas decorations and presents on the network. The film premiered on TNT on December 2, 2001, and was also released on VHS and DVD by Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment. The film has since been reran on Lifetime, Freeform and The Hallmark Channel. Plot In 1965 Los Angeles, Lucy Cullins and her mother go to a shopping mall to see Santa Claus, who happens to be the real one. Santa is nearing the end of his 200-year reign as St. Nick, and needs to find a replacement. His search involves his hat and an elf assistant named Ralph. Nick puts the hat on every kid. If the hat glows, it means that person has the real Christmas spirit. When Lucy sits on his lap, he puts the hat on her and it glows brightly, proving she would make a perfect Santa Claus replacement. Unfortunately, after leaving the mall, Lucy receives news that her father had been killed, devastating her.