The Santa Clause franchise is going strong, and Tim Allen isn’t taking the success for granted.

Allen’s original holiday classic first debuted in 1994. The story followed Allen as a business-obsessed partially absent father named Scott Calvin. One Christmas, Scott unwittingly becomes Santa Claus after he accidentally knocks the former Chris Kringle off a roof.

The movie earned two theatrical sequels. Then in 2022, it came back as a Disney series called The Santa Clauses. Season 2 kicked off last month.

While talking to ABC, via KS95, Allen admitted that he only recently realized how long The Santa Clause has been a Christmas tradition. And he’s proud to have the chance to keep the story going.

“Someone mentioned to me the other day that it’s been 30 years and, you know, oh, gosh, this is … nuts,” he said. “I really got to stay out of it. Otherwise, I’ll get full of myself. I love the people that have created. I love the customers … I love the crew. And it’s, it just becomes a family. Got to stay there because I don’t want to get too important.”

Tim Allen Likes to Think of Himself as The Prime Santa Claus

Hilariously, being one of the most iconic cinematic Santa Clauses in history has given Tim Allen a bit of an ego, which he fully owns. He shared that whenever he sees another actor try the character, he gets judgemental. He also hates it when actors turn the legendary man into a villain.

“Sometimes I get a little bit competitive when I see other Santa Clauses,” Allen laughed. “So that’s when I get too full of myself … [W]hen I see other people do Santa Claus I go, ‘I don’t think I don’t like the beard there.’ And I don’t, I certainly don’t like killers masquerading as Santa Claus. I don’t like any of that stuff.” 

It is currently unknown if The Santa Clauses will return for the 2024 Christmas season, which would officially mark 30 years. According to ScreenRant, Disney won’t make the decision until this season plays out.

You can watch Tim Allen in the entire The Santa Clauses series and all three of The Santa Clause movies with a Disney + subscription.