Santa

Santa is cynical, bad-tempered and disillusioned with the commercial expectations surrounding Christmas. He resents children who demand expensive presents and prefers giving simple kendama toys, reasoning that spoiled children do not deserve extravagant gifts.

He is particularly harsh toward Ben, frequently treating his supposed reindeer more like an underpaid employee. Their arguing hides a genuine attachment formed through years of working together.

Santa nevertheless retains the impulse that originally made the job meaningful. When somebody genuinely needs help, he is capable of acting without expecting payment or recognition.

Santa has no supernatural powers established in the series. His work relies on the Santa Division's sleigh and ordinary delivery methods rather than magical flight or other traditional Santa Claus abilities.

He is physically tough enough to survive the violence that follows his encounters with Gintoki and Kagura, although he is not presented as a trained fighter.

His professional experience includes navigating Christmas deliveries with Ben and deciding which children deserve presents, even if his standards are considerably harsher than those associated with the conventional Santa image.

Santa first meets Sakata Gintoki after his sleigh crashes with Ben and Musashi involved in the accident. Gintoki decides to help the pair rediscover the meaning of Christmas and dresses them in black, inadvertently making the group resemble burglars.

Their disastrous delivery attempt eventually takes them to the Yorozuya, where Kagura has made the modest request for a steamed pork bun. The men find her asleep beneath the kotatsu and begin teasing her, only to be violently dragged underneath it.

Santa later reappears after his life has deteriorated. He has left his original work and become a cabaret tout while struggling with debt, whereas Ben has become financially successful. Their reunion with Gintoki leads to another Christmas journey.

When a pregnant woman suddenly goes into labor, Santa, Ben and Gintoki use their sleigh to rush her to the hospital. Helping the family rekindles Santa's sense of purpose, and he and Ben ultimately return to their former roles.

Ben is Santa's longtime partner and serves as his "reindeer." They argue constantly, but their years working together create a genuine bond. After their careers diverge, Ben pays Santa's debt and admits that he misses their old life together.

Sakata Gintoki first meets Santa after the sleigh accident and attempts to improve his approach to Christmas. Santa initially resents him, particularly after the resulting incident contributes to his problems, but they later reconcile.

Kagura receives a Christmas present from Santa after asking for little more than a steamed pork bun, although his attempt to prank her while she sleeps ends painfully for everyone involved.

Musashi becomes caught up in Santa and Ben's damaged sleigh during their first appearance.