We all know that the real Father Christmas is very busy indeed over the festive season.
So on a lot of occasions, a Santa impersonator has to step into his place to appear at events or in grottos.
However, although you think it may be a calm and easy job – what it's really like may just surprise you.
Santa impersonator Mike Facherty has opened up on the secret world behind the job.
And it may be more eye-opening than you think…
Here he speaks to Daily Star about everything from grottos, to group chats, ghosts and even guns.
Ghost experiences
You may not associate Santa with the supernatural, however Mike admits he's had a spooky encounter in the past with a little girl.
The Santa impersonator said he 'doesn't know if he was dreaming it' but he was visited by a little one – who turned out not to be real – while in his grotto.
He said she came in on her own and he offered her a toy.
However, she said she couldn't take it. He went to put it back in his sack and as he did she was gone.
Mike asked his elves why she came in alone and they said there was no girl and that that slot had been a no-show.
Freaky, eh?
Lockdown woes
You may think the life of a Santa would be all smiles and laughter, however Mike admits it's been tough for him in the pandemic.
He told us: "I have found it hard with lockdown as my grotto didn't open last year and hasn't this year either.
"I didn't realise how much work it would be filling up the days with my own marketing and events."
Mike said he wasn't able to do any doorstep visits last year as he was in Tier 4 so he changed to Zoom, which he admits as been a new opportunity.
Santa group chats
Life as a Santa impersonator definitely isn't lonely, according to Mike.
He admits he knows a lot of other Santas and that they're even in group chats.
"I know a lot through Ministry of Fun," he says.
"We're all old friends, telling same old jokes.
"There's lots of Santa groups on Facebook and an American guy called Ed Taylor who is a celebrity Santa runs a worldwide Santa club, where he does video training for Santas from all over the place."
Alternative careers
Mike admits that as well as Santa, he has many other strings to his bow when it comes to his career.
He also does storytelling for kids and adults which has resulted in him having his own line of Santa books. He's even branching out into pirate books too.
As well as this, he's an actor and film producer. Of course, he's played Santa in a few productions, however he also says he's been an Oxford professor a few times and even a gangster.
Dark side of Santa
Many associate Santa with being sugar, spice and all things nice, however Mike admits there's a dark side to being Santa – particularly in the US.
He said many American Santas admitted they became targets for terrorists, particularly after the events of 9/11.
To counter-act this, many of the US Santas admit they carry guns on them to protect themselves, which Mike was dumbfounded at.
Secret life
Although he's been a Santa impersonator for many years, Mike admits he has kept the fact that he is 'Santa' a secret from his grandchildren.
Asked if he ever dresses up as Santa in front of his family, Mike admits he has never.
"No, none of them know I'm Santa," he says.
"Some of my grandchildren say to me 'you really like Christmas, don't you' and I just nod my head.
"I suspect my oldest grandchild who is 11 may guess soon."
So there you have it, you may not have just known as much about Santa as you thought, right?
Awkward encounters in the street
Mike admits that although he stays away from dressing like Santa, some kids mistake him for the big man in the street.
He said: "I don't wear red and wear proper glasses instead of the metal-framed ones in real life, but yeah sometimes I get mistaken for him.
"It can be a bit awkward."
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