A mall Santa's job is never easy. You're inundated by hordes of children lining up to sit on your lap to ask for outlandish material things. And once they reach you, all they do is sob and pull your beard with their germy hands.
This year, Santas nationwide say there's an added occupational hazard -- the swine flu. And they want protection from it, the Associated Press reports.
They're not asking to jump ahead of everyone in line for swine flu vaccines. But they do think they deserve to be along side child care providers and others who are around children all the time.
Kids are not just more susceptible to this flu, they are germ magnets known for spreading all kinds of bugs.
Santas are worried for other reasons too. Real Santas -- we're talking members of Santa trade groups such as the Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas -- tend to be pudgy in the mid-section, just like the one and only real Santa Claus. Being obese is a H1N1 risk factor.
No word from the CDC if the Santas will get their Christmas wish. (Although one Santa group has in fact asked a member of Congress for support) For now, Santas are taking precautions. They're ditching those germ-catching white gloves and installing hand sanitizer for Santas use as well as for the kiddies to use before they take a seat on Santas lap. Santa slathering on hand santizer? Well, aren't we all. Santas, they're just like us!
AP photo
