He's been puked on, spit on, cried at, his hair pulled......but it's just a day in the life of a mall Santa. Tom Carmody is a professional Santa Claus who tours malls around the U.S. each year to spread some Christmas cheer.
"You have to be partially deaf to deal with the constant noise around you," Carmody joked. "That, and extreme patience and an ability to stay in character at all times -- even when your shift is over."
He says it's all worth it to put a smile on some kids face. Carmody says one of the only drawbacks of looking like Santa, real white beard and hair, is that you have to stay in character after your day is over.
Carmody recalled a time when he was grabbing a bite after work at an Applebee's and absentmindedly decided to have a beer with dinner.
"I heard a little boy say to his mom, 'I didn't know Santa drank beer,' and I immediately knew I made a mistake. Beer is a major no-no for Santa. So is smoking, since it turns your beard yellow."
It's tough in the streets for mall Santa. AOL News has the story
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