While Santa hangs out in the North Pole putting the finishing touches on all his toys, 17-year-old Poland Regional High School senior Zac Toth takes over for him at the Auburn Mall.

“It’s cool to get to dress up like an idol for so many kids. I idolized Santa as a kid,” said Toth, the youngest Santa employed at the Auburn Mall. “It’s a fun job.”

Toth responded to a newspaper ad at the prompting of his girlfriend. When he told his parents, they laughed.

They laughed even harder when he got the job.

“When I first told them, they said, ‘No way.’ They couldn’t believe I had actually pulled it off!”

Toth is no stranger to kids. He has three younger sisters, a 13-year-old and 15-month-old twins, so he is an old pro at handling little ones. And changing diapers if you need help.

Although it isn’t always easy to persuade kids to sit on his lap for a quick photos, Toth has his ways.

“It’s best to get down on the kid’s level, and I make them a deal. ‘If you can hold my moose [a stuffed toy], I’ll let you sit next to me in the chair.’ That’s the reason I’m so good at it. I still have little kid ways.”

It’s not just little kids who come out to see Santa.

Toth’s friends have frequently visited, and even his mom and grandma came to sit on his lap.

Being Santa also means that Toth has to think on his feet. One little boy asked for a monster truck – a real monster truck.

“When that happens, I say, ‘Well, I’ll see what I can do, but I may not be able to fit it in (Santa’s) sleigh.'”

Wishes also come in smaller packages – one girl wanted Band-Aids, while a little boy wanted his dad to stop swearing.

So what does Santa want for Christmas?

“I lent my dad my truck because his was broken, so I want my truck back. And I want money to put into it. I also want my twin sisters to have a magical Christmas. That’s why I took the job. To give back that magic to the kids.”