Meet the firefighter who works as Santa and has brought festive cheer to thousands of kids and earns up to $25,000 a year with his side hustle.

David Saunders, 50, began impersonating Santa 16 years ago when his son was in hospital.

To lift the spirits of other children in the hospital, he dressed up as Santa Claus. Since then, Saunders has spread Christmas magic to countless families, starred in holiday commercials and films, and makes around 150 house visits each year, working tirelessly every evening after his shifts as a firefighter in December.

‘I tried Starbucks’ entire holiday menu – one was mediocre but one blew me away’

‘I won my first bodybuilding competition at 59  it’s never too late to start’

“If I really hustle, I can pull in $20,000 to $25,000 a year,” Saunders said. “I have a lot of expenses though too. I drive to everyone. All of my suits, boots, belts, shirts, vests, hats are all custom made for me, and I buy about 10 beards a year at 400 dollars a pop.”

He also covers insurance, background checks, and business licenses, but insists it’s all worth it.

After 30 years as a firefighter in Fairfax County, Virginia – including being on duty at the Pentagon on 9/11 – Saunders is considering turning his Santa gig into a full-time job. As for his Santa-like physique?

“I’m all natural,” he said. “I’m not a big guy at all, but with my shirt, a vest, and a coat on, no one has ever complained.”

He added: “I don’t practice my ho-ho-ho. And I don’t overdo it.

“Its kind of a funny story how I started being Santa Claus. Ive always loved Christmas, obviously, as a child, even as an adult.

“But my son  he was six years old, about 16 years ago  started to go deaf in his left ear. We spent a lot of time at Childrens Hospital in Delaware, and every time we went, he would see all the really sick children.”

“He would leave and always say to me, Man, I wish we could do something nice for all these kids. And I would say, Well, you figure out what you want to do, and well try to do it.” That heartfelt desire led to a surprising new role for both dad and son.

“One day, after a really long surgery on his ear, he came out and looked at me and said, I got it. I asked, Whats that, buddy?  He said, You could be Santa, and Ill be your elf, and thats how well make kids happy.” “So thats how it started. We got home, looked into things, found a Santa school, came up with a business name, got a license and insurance, and the rest was history.

“I do about 100 to 150 home visits a year.”

The Santa dad added: “Honestly, I just like making people happy. I enjoy making people smile. Its nice to go to peoples homes and see the happiness that people get out of the 45 minutes to an hour that Im there.

“This will be my 11th year in business, and there are a couple of children that Ive seen since they were babies  literally infants.

“Ive enjoyed being able to watch them grow up. You hold them as a baby, and then you watch them grow.”

He shared how parents often reassure him of his importance: “Sometimes you think they wont want you to come back this year, but their moms or dads always call and say, No, they dont want to go through Christmas without you.'”.

While embodying the spirit of Santa brings immense joy, Saunders acknowledges the role’s emotional toll. “I do see some really sick children or children who just dont really have much of anything. Its hard to see their situations because you just want to be able to do something for them,” he said.

The job can be mentally taxing, he said. Saunders admitted: “Sometimes its taxing on you, sometimes mentally draining. Thats probably the biggest challenge.”

DAILY NEWSLETTER: Sign up here to get the latest news and updates from the Mirror US straight to your inbox with our FREE newsletter.

Saunders keeps the magic alive year-round, saying: “Im available all year. I mean, I do obviously have a full-time job, but I do some Christmas in July, birthday parties, Cameo videos, or video chats  whatever people want. Ive been pretty blessed.”

His Santa duties extend beyond the holiday season, with appearances in commercials and films. “Ive done some commercials and ads and a couple of Christmas movies, so that keeps me kind of going through the year. Id love to do more commercials or movies and hopefully retire and just keep doing this.”

His portrayal of Santa Claus has led to various gigs, including an online ad for “Christmas vs. The Walters.” He also recently filmed a commercial for a video game company, though he kept the details confidential.

In addition to commercials, Saunders has appeared in three family-friendly Lionsgate films: “Christmas Telethon,” “All I Want for Christmas,” and “A Wonderful Time of the Year.”

He is also set to star in “Christmas is Canceled” and “Escape from the Naughty List,” both currently in development. Saunders expressed his strong opinion on films that portray Santa Claus negatively, such as “Bad Santa” and “Terrifier 3.”

“Santa should always be portrayed in a good way,” he said.

“Santa’s supposed to be a good figure doing nice and kind things for people, and when you do that, it puts the wrong thing out there.”

After 30 years as a firefighter, Saunders is looking forward to focusing full-time on his Santa business. He said: “Being a firefighter has been a great job… but I’ve had a good career. My body hurts, and I’m getting older, so it’s time to move on. I’m hoping this business can grow a little bit more.”

Saunders is inspired by the magic of Christmas to bring joy to children and adults alike. He said: “I think children, at a younger age now… you have to try a little harder to keep the magic alive. But I think all children, even adults, want something to believe in, especially at Christmas.”