Why Your Personality Type Is on Santa’s Naughty List

Sure, we all like to think we’re on Santa’s “nice” list. Most of us, I’m guessing, have spent the past year at least trying to be decent human beings, drawing on our inner reserves of compassion, reason, and good sense.

But nobody’s perfect, and thank goodness. Often, it’s our flaws just as much as our strengths that make us interesting, distinctive, and well-rounded individuals – and, yes, perhaps also worthy of Santa’s naughty list.

In that spirit, here’s a humorous take on why people with your personality type might end up with a lump of coal in their stocking this holiday season.

16 Personality Types on Santa’s Naughty List

Advocates (INFJs): Living in a Fantasy World

Creativity and imagination are among this personality type’s most notable traits, so it’s no surprise that Advocates can get incredibly invested in fictional characters and fantasy worlds. The problem? Sometimes Advocates can get so invested in these fantasies that real people seem rather lackluster by comparison. So, dear Advocates, if you judge the people in your life for not living up to the standards set by your favorite fictional characters, Santa might just have a place for you on his naughty list.

Mediators (INFPs): Messiness

Mediators are sensitive to their environments, and clutter tends to stress them out. But that doesn’t mean that people with this personality type are tidy and organized – in fact, the opposite is often true. If you’re a Mediator, you might end up on Santa’s naughty list if you have lost track of important things or let other people down due to being, let’s just say, less than optimally organized.

Protagonists (ENFJs): Fun Police

Usually, Protagonists love to have fun – but sometimes their highly responsible, remarkably conscientious side wins out. If this is your personality type, Santa might be knocking you back a few points for every time you told your friends, “Are you sure you want to spend that money on a latte/cocktail/dog costume when you could be giving it to charity?”

Campaigners (ENFPs): Overpromising

Ever been advised to “underpromise and overdeliver?” Well, that’s not Campaigners’ style. Campaigners want to give other people the moon – and more. If this is your personality type, Santa might be making note of all the times you promised things that, despite your good intentions, you just couldn’t follow through on.

Architects (INTJs): Correcting People

So your friend confused William Henry Harrison with Martin Van Buren – do you have to correct them? If you’re an Architect, you’re probably thinking, “Of course!” And that’s fair – but if you ever take on a smarter-than-thou air when you correct people, Santa might just have a place on his naughty list for you.

Logicians (INTPs): Forgetting Plans

“Hey, we were supposed to meet up at noon yesterday – where were you?” Logicians tend to get so caught up in their active mental landscapes that they can forget to show up when and where they’re supposed to. If any of this sounds familiar, don’t be surprised if Santa gets on your case for it.

Commanders (ENTJs): Joking at Other People’s Expense

Commanders tend to have sharp wits and a biting sense of humor. This can be incredibly fun to be around – until you become the butt of one of their jokes. If this is your personality type, Santa might be making note of every time you said, “What are you so upset about? It was just a joke.”

Debaters (ENTPs): Stirring the Pot

With their love of rationality, Debaters might not seem like the type to be into drama. But when two other people are on the brink of a disagreement, Debaters might sometimes be tempted to push at least one of them over the edge – not out of any ill will, but just to see what will happen. Sound familiar? If so, don’t be surprised if Santa calls you on your pot-stirring tendencies.

Defenders (ISFJs): Fishing for Compliments

Defenders don’t like to ask for praise and approval outright. But they can still have some sneaky ways of fishing for compliments. If you ever put yourself down in the hopes that someone else will say, “No way, you’re totally the best and that outfit looks incredible and you’re the smartest, kindest, most generous person I know!” – well, Santa might just be taking notes.

Logisticians (ISTJs): Holding Grudges

This one might surprise you. After all, Logisticians tend to be patient, eminently reasonable people, and generally speaking, it takes a lot to upset them. But when people with this personality type do get pushed too far, they can hold a grudge for a long, long time. If you’re still stewing over the time your neighbor drove over your prized petunias, Santa might be thinking it’s time for you to move on.

Consuls (ESFJs): Gossiping

Consuls can be counted on to have the scoop on what’s happening in everyone else’s lives. And – let’s be honest – most of us love hearing about that time Carmen drove over Roger’s prized petunias and Roger left the wilted, broken remains of the flowers on Carmen’s doorstep as a twisted reminder of what she’d done. But if you’ve been spreading rumors, don’t think that Santa doesn’t know all about it.

Executives (ESTJs): Being a Back-Seat Driver

In general, Executives’ feedback is thoughtful, balanced, and rational. But that doesn’t mean that it’s always welcome. Have you been a back-seat driver this year – literally or figuratively? If so, Santa knows when you are sleeping, he knows when you’re awake, and he knows when you’re saying, “Why don’t you park a little closer to the curb, Carmen?”

Adventurers (ISFPs): Comparing and Despairing

In theory, there’s nothing wrong with comparing yourself to other people. But people with the Adventurer personality type can get so caught in the “compare and despair” trap that they lose sight of what’s good and worthwhile about themselves and their own lives. If this sounds like you, Santa’s really, really hoping that you let go of worries about whether your house/hair/body/outfits are as good as the ones you see on social media.

Virtuosos (ISTPs): Forgetting Birthdays

Let’s just say that the Virtuoso is most definitely not the personality type most likely to remember someone’s birthday or anniversary. This might not sound like a particularly grievous trait – and, well, it’s not. That said, if you’re a Virtuoso, the more sentimental personality types out there might be feeling more than a little hurt that you didn’t send a card – and Santa, festive fellow that he is, may take their side on the matter.

Entertainers (ESFPs): Interrupting

Entertainers have so much to say and share with the world that sometimes, just sometimes, they might – whoa, hang on, let me finish that thought before you jump in with yours. If you tend to talk over people (perhaps without even noticing it, alas), your interrupting might earn you a place on Santa’s not-so-nice list.

Entrepreneurs (ESTPs): Being Late

More than half of Entrepreneurs say that they’re usually late for scheduled events. Now, Santa happens to be one of the world’s more punctual people – after all, he has to have all those gifts delivered by super early Christmas morning. So if you’re not up to his standards of being on time, he might count that against you.

Happy Holidays from 16Personalities!

We hope that this list made you smile – and reminded you that we all have quirks and tendencies that make us less than perfect. But that’s a good thing: if we were all perfect, the world would be a far less interesting place, and then how would we get the latest gossip about Roger and Carmen’s petunia vendetta?

In good news, we hear that Santa is a pretty forgiving guy, so there’s a good chance that you won’t end up on his naughty list after all.