It’s August, but Santa Claus is hard at work. No, he’s not busy checking his lists or helping the elves make presents for all the good little children around the world. He’s livestreaming on TikTok, where he has 1.3 million followers.
And this year, Santa’s the one with the wish list. He’s hoping that the people watching his livestream will send him digital gifts using TikTok Coins, a currency that allows users to effectively beam cash to their favorite creators by purchasing playful digital icons: stars, owls, school buses, roses. As Christmas carols play in the background and the tips roll in, Santa thanks the senders with a jolly belly laugh. He never seems to talk about Rudolph or Mrs. Claus or the North Pole. In fact, he doesn’t really talk about Christmas much at all—he’s much too busy promoting his subscriber-only chat. “It’s so much fun!” he says.