I've played Santa every year for the last 20 or so...usually at Malls, but occ. other places...and I own my own suit, natch.

One of the first times I did, a new Shopping Center hired me and they did the Big Promotion thing with Santa arriving the day after T'giving Day...as I was walking into the Mall, I heard the little girl scream, "SA-A-A-A-NTA!' and come running to me full tilt and leaped into my arms, saying "I knew you'd be here, I knew you'd be here!" over and over again...turns out that her Dad's new wife had told her that Santa doesn't exist!

Just then, the new mom walked up and yanked my beard, presumably to show that it was fake...it wasn't! I looked at her and said in my best Santa-voice, "Sue Ellen, you've been a VERY naughty girl and I'm leaving you reindeer poop!"...she looked VERY surprised that I knew her name!

Fortunately, she didn't see her husband's hastily written sign: "The bitch's name is Sue Ellen, Santa!"