What is the Fear of Santa Claus Called?

Christmas is just around the corner and most people are excited about it. They've put up their trees, wrapped their gifts, decked their halls, and are genuinely ready for Santa Claus to come to town, eat some cookies and leave some presents under that tannenbaum. However, are you aware that some people are actually afraid of Christmas?

WHAT IS THE FEAR OF CHRISTMAS CALLED?

The fear of Christmas is a real phobia with a real name. It's Christougenniatikophobia.

Christougenniatikophobia is basically a fear of Christmas so strong that people who suffer from it will hunker down and just pray it gets over with- quickly! To hell with the 12 Days of Christmas! They don't even want one day of it.

While you might not have realized that there are Christougenniatikophobes running among us, you probably are well aware that there are some people who are terrified of Santa Claus.

I mean, we've all seen photos like this, right?

Shannon Potts McDonald

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That's my friend Shannon. As you can see, she was not happy at all to be plopped down on Jolly Old Saint Nicholas' lap. Honestly, he doesn't look that thrilled either. Has Santa fallen asleep? Has he slipped into a trauma-induced coma as a defense mechanism? Or has he just closed his eyes and mentally astral-projected himself back to his safe place at the North Pole?

Sidebar, Shannon was also traumatized by the Easter Bunny when she a child. According to her, this large, scary bunny with the hollowed-out crater eyes smelled like 'hot dog water."

Shannon Potts McDonald

Now, back to Santa! A couple of weeks ago, I visited the open house of Rager Fencing here in Owensboro. There, they offered a photo opportunity with Santa too. It went about as well as Shannon's for young Sofi Rickard. Here's her reaction to her visit with the big guy. Shout out to Laryssa Miller for capturing the moment (and the terror).

WHAT IS THE FEAR OF SANTA CLAUS CALLED?

So, if Christougenniatikophobia is the fear of Christmas, what is the fear of Santa Claus called? Well, the name of it doesn't sound nearly as scientific (or as Greek). The fear of Santa Claus is simply called Santaphobia. It's also known by a couple of other names- Clausophobia or, hilariously, Hohophobia.

According to a Santaphobia article out of the UK, the fear of Santa Claus is most common in children under the age of 4. The good news, around the age of 5, they start to outgrow it.

For a list of more fears associated with Christmas- like Tarandophobia (the fear of reindeer) and Doronophobia (the fear of gifts), check out the ChristmasCountdown's 10 Christmas Phobias You Never Knew Existed.