New York, December 25: A video has gone viral on social media, allegedly showing Santa Claus on a red sleigh in the sky over several US cities on Christmas (December 25). On Christmas Eve, citizens across multiple cities in the US, including San Francisco, New York City, Philadelphia, and Chicago, reported sightings of a "Mysterious man in a red sleigh".

Every December, similar viral videos claiming Santa Claus sightings in the sky resurface or go viral on social media platforms, awestruck audiences with alleged videos of a red sleigh pulled by reindeer soaring over cities worldwide. The same video, showing a man in a red sleigh sweeping across the US skies, has been going viral every year since 2022. Christmas 2025 Celebrations: PM Narendra Modi Joins Christmas Prayers at Cathedral Church in Delhi, Extends Message of Peace and Harmony (See Pics and Video).

Santa Claus Spotted in US?

Video of Santa Claus Over US Cities Had Gone Viral in 2024 Too

In 2023 As Well

Also in 2022

Santa Claus and Christmas: History and Origins

The legend of Santa Claus originated with Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century Greek bishop famous for secret gift-giving. While the historical figure travelled on foot, the "flying" imagery seen in Christmas 2025 viral videos was popularised by 19th-century American literature.

Washington Irving first imagined Santa in a flying wagon, but it was the 1821 poem "Old Santeclaus with Much Delight" that introduced the iconic sleigh and reindeer, transitioning the figure from a religious icon to a magical folk hero. Christmas 2025 Celebration: Festive Spirit Lights Up Northeast; Festivities Peak in Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya.

The global image of Santa’s flying sleigh was solidified by Clement Clarke Moore’s 1823 poem, "A Visit from St. Nicholas." This work gave the world the eight original flying reindeer and the specific "over the rooftop" flight path that modern CGI and drone displays emulate today. This literary shift turned a regional Dutch Sinterklaas tradition into a universal holiday legend, creating the visual blueprint that continues to dominate social media trends nearly two centuries later.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 25, 2025 12:53 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).