A student dressed as an angel sits among fellow students dressed as Santa Claus as they listen to instructions during their annual meeting of the rent-a-Santa Claus service of Berlin's universities in a musical theatre in Berlin on December 2. The universities organised the rent-a-Santa Claus service for Christmas at a cost of about €28 (US$37). - Reuters

NEW YORK, United States (Reuters):

Saying "ho, ho, ho" is practically a Christmas miracle, given the job woes that shopping mall and store Santas face each day, according to a survey released on Monday.

Santas get sneezed upon up to 10 times a day, fend off children pulling their beards and mop up after children who frequently wet their laps, according to the survey of hundreds of men who work as seasonal Santa Claus characters.

A third of all Santas reported having been wet on by a child, the survey said.

Nearly 90 per cent of Santas said children pull their beard everyday to see if it's real, and nearly half said children try to pull their glasses off everyday as well, it said.

The survey was conducted for Auntie Anne's Inc., a Gap, Pennsylvania-based franchiser with more than 900 Auntie Anne's Pretzels locations, primarily in shopping malls, nationwide. It was conducted online by Brand IQ of 339 members of the Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas.

More than 60 per cent of Santas said they were sneezed or coughed upon up to 10 times each day, and three-quarters said they have up to 10 children cry while sitting on their laps everyday.

Santas can suffer back strain from lifting children, exposure to contagious illnesses, and overheating in their heavy Santa suits, said Timothy Connaghan, head of the Santa association.

"There is more to it than just sitting in a chair. There is more to it than just a red suit," said Conna-ghan, who has worked as a Santa for 38 years. "Children can really put the wear and tear on you."

More than three-quarters of the children say they have been good during the year, but only half the Santas believe the children are telling the truth, the survey said.