The most iconic character of the holiday season has got to be Santa Claus, hands down. There are a lot of other popular characters like Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph, but another one of my favorites is the Grinch—I just think he has a good outlook on life. (Just kidding, but I really do like the Grinch.) To the untrained (and severely squinted) eye, Santa and the Grinch might look similar; they both wear a big Santa suit, they both drive sleighs, and they both slip down people’s chimneys. But we all know that the two are pretty much polar opposites, physical traits aside.
If you had to determine the best EDC knife for Santa and the best EDC for the Grinch, what suggestions would you give them? Both would require very different things from their knives, so let’s take a look at the criteria we’re dealing with before diving into knife suggestions.
Santa’s Criteria (based on scientific research gained via my childhood)
Handle – Santa is always seen wearing white gloves that don’t appear to have all that much traction, so he might need a knife with a grippy handle so the knife doesn’t slip out of those sleek gloves.
Blade Traits – Santa (at least the way I picture him) isn’t the guy who’s giving his knife lots of hard use. Rather, he’s probably using his knife for everyday tasks that aren’t too rough on a blade—cutting some tape, ribbon, etc.
Size – Santa has big hands, and those gloves probably mean that he’ll need a knife with a fair amount of handle to grip, if possible. The size of the blade probably won’t matter a ton.
Other Considerations – Santa is a jolly old fellow who is frequently around elves and kids. He probably doesn’t want to carry a super intense, intimidating-looking blade.
Recommendations for Santa
(If you can relate to Santa and mainly need a knife for normal everyday tasks, then these knives might also be perfect for you.)
Spyderco Delica
The Delica isn’t the largest knife out there, but it is very grippy, user-friendly, and lightweight. Santa can use this knife easily and carry it in his suit daily without being weighed down. It’s also perfect for tackling normal everyday tasks.
Chris Reeve Large Sebenza
Everybody knows Santa’s got style, and the Sebenza is a classy blade that would be perfect for him. The large Sebenza accommodates Santa’s large, gloved hands, and it is well-suited for everyday carry.
Swiss Army Knife
The Swiss Army Knife is the perfect option for Santa because it can handle the light, everyday tasks that Santa is likely to run into. Also, Santa can choose the Swiss Army Knife with all the tools that fit his needs best. With all those toys he’s delivering, you know he’s going to have to make some last-minute adjustments to something now and again with a Phillips head screwdriver or another tool. Check out our Best Swiss Army Knife Guide to see where the Tinker ranks.
Mora of Sweden Clipper
This knife is perfect for Santa for a couple of reasons: 1) the color scheme just screams “Santa,” does it not? 2) It’s a lightweight, smallish blade that’s great for utility purposes.
Mechanix Gloves
The perfect knife isn’t always going to have a grippy handle, so how about trading out those soft white gloves for these grippy Mechanix gloves, Santa?
The Grinch’s Criteria (based on scientific research found via the movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas)
Handle – I would imagine that having long green fur covering your hands would make it considerably more difficult to grip anything, let alone a knife (if anyone can vouch otherwise, by all means speak up). Ergo, Mr. Grinch likely needs a grippy handle as well.
Blade traits – Unlike Santa, the Grinch’s knife will see some serious use. Because of this, whatever edged tool he carries will need to have like, extreme edge-retention powers. The Grinch spends a lot of his efforts cutting and sawing to his heart’s content.
Size – The Grinch will probably want a slightly larger knife as well. He needs a knife that can take lots of abuse and has plenty of blade for cutting and/or sawing.
Recommendations for the Grinch:
(If you, like the Grinch, need knives to be able to take a lot of abuse and to handle a variety of tasks, these suggestions might be perfect for you, too.)
Benchmade Griptilian, Serrated Version
The full-sized Griptilian would make a great option for the Grinch because it’s sturdy, has a solid lock, and can take a fair amount of abuse (especially for a folding knife). This version is also great for the Grinch because the serrations give it versatility.
ESEE-5
The ESEE-5 is a beast of a knife! It can hack its way through anything the Grinch would need it to. The ESEE-5 can take lots of abuse and keeps an edge super well since it has a 1095 blade.
Gerber LMF II Infrantry Combat Knife
The LMF II is designed to tackle any combat or survival situation, so why wouldn’t it be able to tackle anything the Grinch comes across?
Benchmade Nimravus
This large blade would be a great option for the Grinch. It totals 9.45 inches in length with a 4.5-inch blade. The partial serrations and tanto blade provide versatile cutting ability and a strong tip.
Now it’s your turn; what do you think the best EDC knife is for Santa and for the Grinch?
Santa – Opinel with red handle