Why 'Santa' sighting at Statue of Liberty went viral: festive hoax or mystery explained

The mystery of the Santa sighting has sparked buzz among netizens after a viral video surfaced on social media featuring what appears to be Santa Claus’s sleigh flying over the Statue of Liberty.

However, similar sightings have been reported in major U.S. cities, but the video originated from the Citizen app, leaving the authenticity of the sightings unverified.

In a surprising twist this Christmas, a video posted by X (formerly Twitter) user Dom Lucre showing an apparently authentic sighting of Santa Claus's sleigh flying over the Statue of Liberty is making rounds on the internet.

But what’s the buzz all about? Is it a festive hoax or holiday mystery? Let’s find out.

Netizens started swirling conspiracy theories, with some users suggesting the extravaganza could possibly be a drone show secretly planned by the U.S. government as a holiday gift to the public.

Meanwhile, Chicago authorities even warned people not to shoot at Santa, reminding them he was “just trying to deliver presents.”

Reports of faint jingling and distinctive, joyful laughter surfaced from witnesses in multiple states, further contributing to the event’s whimsical nature.

Fact-check moment

The viral clip generated buzz online, sparking debates among netizens over whether Santa has actually been spotted flying over the Statue of Liberty.

But, upon fact-checking, the footage came out to have been first posted about five years ago on the Citizen app, a digital public safety platform that enables users to send real-time, location-centric alerts.

The app had previously recorded similar Santa sleigh “sightings” in U.S. cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and Philadelphia a year ago.

Some users even claimed to hear “Ho Ho Ho” from the sleigh’s pilot.

Netizens react

One user commented on the post, writing, “NYC airspace violation! Santa just buzzed Lady Liberty like a boss. Reindeer pulling illegal stunts—no permits! Kids: Say up, he’s REAL and coming in HOT!”

Another one quipped, “He just joined 3I/ATLAS to deliver to other galaxies.”

“Holy crap, this is the clearest footage yet! You can literally see the sleigh and the reindeer streak right over Lady Liberty—that red glow up front is 100% Rudolph guiding the way. Kids, he’s real and he’s HERE. Cookies out NOW,” commented the third one.

Despite the alerts seeming authentic, the sightings are likely a festive hoax and lack verification from official media.