He knows whether you've been naughty or nice - so rather than accepting his fate, one boy tried to change it in the eleventh hour. Six-year-old Anthony left Santa in hysterics after trying to bribe him with a cash gift when handing over his Christmas wish list.
Taking to Reddit, a man who works as a professional Santa explained how he makes 50 to 70 appearances per year - and has seen almost everything throughout his 10 year career. But one thing he never expected was to be "bribed" by a child, who was most likely on the naughty list. He said: "A boy was waiting patiently in line to meet me, and when it was his turn, he hopped right on to my lap.
"I asked him what he would like for Christmas - he mentioned a few of the more popular toys, and then handed me a letter.
"I receive a lot of letters in person - even kids get antsy trusting the USPS to deliver such an important piece of mail."
When he asked the boy whether he'd been good this year, the child smirked, pointed to his wish list and told him "not to worry about it" before returning to his mum.
"My curiosity was piqued, so I opened his letter," he added. "In it was a list, and a note that said, 'Dear Santa, thank you for bringing me everything on my list. Love, Anthony', and a picture of Abe Lincoln.
"The kid bribed me with a $5 bill. I was horrified and quite impressed all at the same time. I can only imagine what he had done..."
But this cheeky boy isn't the only child to stick out in his mind, as a four-year-old girl managed to make a lasting impression on him despite only saying six words.
He explained: "A shy, adorable girl finally sits on my lap after a great deal of coaxing by me, the photographer and her mum.
"She wouldn't say a word - it was complete silence, which isn't uncommon for the age and shyness level.
"I asked her if she likes princesses, ballerinas, soccer; anything to get a nod or a quiet yes - but not a peep."
After taking photos together, he reassured her that Santa would bring her some great gifts to open on Christmas Day.
"She walked away clutching her mum's hand but suddenly bolted back towards my chair, got a foot away from my face and practically yelled, 'I don’t like mac and cheese'." he added.
"Thank God she told me because I had cases at the North Pole ready to go with her name on it."
Do you have a funny Christmas story to share? Email paige.freshwater@reachpl.com.
