Do you consider Santa Claus a religious figure or a secular figure?

Nope. He has nothing to do with Christianity.

@iron_tiger: He was influenced by a christian figure however.

I have a non Christian friend who used to believe in santa.

Santa Claus is actually The Phantom Stranger.

Tim Allen is not a religious figure...

May have originally been a religious figure, but by now he's as secular as Mickey Mouse.

God is just the adult version of Santa, so why not?

Saint Nicholas? Mostly a historical figure.

Secular.

Secular. Only about 1% of Japan is Christian, but around Christmas time you see a sort-of Santa all over the place...

I thought/think some people still view Santa as being heavily influenced by Odin and Yule. Also I think its possible to view Santa as being both a religious figure and a secular figure, not necessarily mutually exclusive. Character basically has a lot of alt reality versions based on different countries attitudes, depictions, consensus on historic influences, and his appropriation by corporations, artists, movies, songs, porn, etc.

Of course the canon true Santa is an erotic demonic figure who exists to infiltrate the fragile psyche of the youth.

Santa is TOAA.

Also, he's secular for the most part.

This pretty much nails it. At this point in time, he's more of a symbol or a mascot than anything else.

@luminoushydra: By that line of thinking the Easter Bunny would also be a religious figure. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer only appears at Christmas time, too. Santa Claus has been transformed by popular culture and commercial marketing into a secular icon centered around the buying and giving of presents, not celebrating the birth of Christ.

Christmas is about the birth of Christ Jesus; and, then, Santa Claus got incorporated with Christmas and it got a push by the mainstream media; today is Passion Day, Good Friday; Jesus did his work today, for all of us to be saved from our sins and reconciled with God, about 1985 years ago.

One of them.

Secular he is of no importance in Christianity except for a story for children to get them excited for Christmas

He's only a character which makes children excited

He's a marketing campaign.