Is Santa Claus Actually Jeff Bezos? A Christmas Investigation

At first thought, you might not think Jeff Bezos and Santa Claus have anything in common. One is a jolly old man who delivers toys to children and brings joy to all, while the other is a billionaire CEO known for being demanding of his employees and who's been called to task for not being as giving as he could be.

A Real-Life Elf?: MacKenzie Scott, Jeff Bezos' Ex, Just Gave Away $4.2 Billion; Now One of World's Top Donors
Serious Giving: Global Catastrophes Jeff Bezos Could Fix and Still Be the Richest Man in the World

But if you take a closer look, Bezos might actually be the closest thing we have to a real-life Santa Claus – or, for true believers, the man himself. Here are just a few things these two larger-than-life figures have in common.

They Both Know What You Want for Christmas

Have you created an Amazon wish list? This is basically an adult letter to Santa, full of everything you'd want to get under your Christmas tree. Even if you haven't made an actual list, Amazon keeps track of your browsing history, so Bezos still knows what things you're interested in getting.

Wish Fulfillment: 11 Insanely Expensive Things You Can Buy on Amazon Right Now

They Both Know Where You – And Everyone on Your Christmas Gift List – Live

Santa Claus has everyone in the world's address -- and Bezos has millions of addresses too. Amazon has stored every address you've sent purchases to, so Bezos knows where you currently live, where you used to live and where people you've sent gifts to live, too. And just like Santa, Bezos offers same-day delivery right to your door.

2020 in Review: The Year for Amazon

They See You When You're Sleeping and They Know When You're Awake

OK, maybe the sleeping part is an overreach, but if you have an Amazon Alexa device, Bezos probably knows when you're awake. If you use Alexa to set an alarm to wake you up, or check the weather or play music as you start your day, all of this information gets funneled back to Amazon. And even when you don't speak directly to Alexa, your Amazon device could be listening to you throughout the day, The New York Times reported.

Big Buys: Here’s How Much Amazon Has Invested in Acquiring Other Companies

They Both Love Christmas

Although they might love Christmas for different reasons, Bezos is probably a big fan of the holiday season because of what that has meant for his company's profits. On Dec. 1, Amazon announced in a blog post that "through Cyber Monday, 2020 has been the largest holiday shopping season so far in our company's history thanks to customers around the world." That's news that's sure to have made Bezos jolly.

More From GOBankingRates:

• 19 Effective Ways To Tackle Your Budget
• Are You Spending More Than the Average American on 25 Everyday Items?
• 30 Important Money Habits for Your Financial Future
• Guns and 32 Other Things You Definitely Do NOT Need To Buy During the Coronavirus Pandemic

About the Author

Gabrielle Olya

Gabrielle joined GOBankingRates in 2017 and brings with her a decade of experience in the journalism industry. Before joining the team, she was a staff writer-reporter for People Magazine and People.com. Her work has also appeared on E! Online, Us Weekly, Patch, Sweety High and Discover Los Angeles, and she has been featured on “Good Morning America” as a celebrity news expert. 

Read More