If you think being a mall Santa is easy, think about this:  73% of them say a child coughs or sneezes directly into their FACE at least once a day.

 --If that's not enough, they sometimes have to deal with 12-hour workdays, limited breaks, screaming kids, and cranky parents.  And the busy ones have to listen to about 30,000 kids a year.

 --With that said, a mall Santa can easily make up to $15,000 in two months.  And the best ones can pull in $80,000.  Here are three more things you probably don't know about mall Santas.

 #1.)  Getting Into the Business Isn't Cheap.  A good Santa suit can cost anywhere from $400 to $2,000.  And a good wig and beard set . . . made out of YAK HAIR . . . can cost $1,500.

 --Plus, a lot of mall Santas have back-up suits in case a kid has an 'accident.'  One-third of Santas say a child has peed on them.

 #2.)  Almost 90% of Mall Santas Have a College Degree.  That's according to an annual survey from an actual organization called "The Kringle Group."

 --But going to college doesn't really prepare you for screaming kids who want EVERYTHING.  So a lot of them get special training at professional 'Santa schools,' which can cost as much as $1,000.

 #3.)  They Have a Quota.  The mall makes money off the photos Santa takes with kids.  And a lot of mall Santas either get a bonus, or a cut of the photos fees if they see a certain number of kids each day.

 --That's one of the reasons children only get about 30 seconds each.

 --If you want MORE time with Santa, they charge anywhere from $50 to $300 an HOUR for private visits.  Or just avoid the peak times at the mall, which means weekends, and obviously Christmas Eve.