Firefighter makes $25K a year with Santa Claus side hustle

By Michael Lee Simpson

Meet the firefighter who moonlights as Santa and has brought festive cheer to thousands of kids….earning up to $25,000 a year with his side hustle as the big man in red.

For David Saunders, 50, playing Santa Claus goes beyond tradition — it’s a deeply personal mission inspired by family and fueled by a passion for spreading joy.

He began when his son, then six, was ill in hospital and the pair dressed as Santa and his elf to bring cheer to the other kids.

Now, 16 years on, Saunders has brought the magic of Christmas to countless families.

He's starred in Christmas commercials and movies - and racks up about 150 home visits every year, working flat out nearly every evening after work in December.

"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.

"Plus insurance, background check, and business license. It’s all worth it."

But he wouldn't change a thing - and is looking to turn his side hustle into a full-time gig, after 30 years as a firefighter in Fairfax County, Virginia. He was even at the Pentagon on 9/11.

As far as his big belly? "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.

"I don't practice my ho-ho-ho," he added. "And I don't overdo it."

The married dad-of-five said: "It’s kind of a funny story how I started being Santa Claus.

“I’ve 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 Children’s 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 we’ll try to do it.’”

That wish turned into an unexpected calling for the father-son duo.

“One day, after a really long surgery on his ear, he came out and looked at me and said, ‘I got it.’ I asked, ‘What’s that, buddy?’ He said, ‘You could be Santa, and I’ll be your elf, and that’s how we’ll make kids happy.’

“So that’s 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.

“Honestly, I just like making people happy. I enjoy making people smile. It’s nice to go to people’s homes and see the happiness that people get out of the 45 minutes to an hour that I’m there."

For Saunders, the joy extends far beyond the initial visits.

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

“I’ve enjoyed being able to watch them grow up,” he added. “You hold them as a baby, and then you watch them grow.

"Sometimes you think they won’t want you to come back this year, but their moms or dads always call and say, ‘No, they don’t want to go through Christmas without you.'"

While the role of Santa is filled with joy, Saunders admits it’s not without its challenges.

“I do see some really sick children or children who just don’t really have much of anything. It’s hard to see their situations because you just want to be able to do something for them,” he explained.

“Sometimes it’s taxing on you, sometimes mentally draining. That’s probably the biggest challenge.”

Even outside the holiday season, Saunders stays busy with his Santa persona. “I’m available all year,” he said.

“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. I’ve been pretty blessed.

“I’ve done some commercials and ads and a couple of Christmas movies, so that keeps me kind of going through the year. I’d love to do more commercials or movies and hopefully retire and just keep doing this.”

Saunders has appeared in several commercials, including an online advertisement for the film “Christmas vs. The Walters.”

Recently, he shot a commercial for a video game company, though details about the project are still under wraps.

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

He is also set to appear in “Christmas is Canceled” and "Escape from the Naughty List,” both of which are currently in development.

When asked about films portraying Santa Claus in a negative light — everything from “Bad Santa” and “Terrifier 3” to “Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale” and “Santa’s Slay” — Saunders has a strong opinion.

“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 shifting his focus full-time to his Santa business.

“Being a firefighter has been a great job. Again, it’s one of those things that’s mentally and physically taxing, 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.”

The magic of Christmas is what continues to inspire Saunders to bring joy to children and adults alike.

“I think children, at a younger age now, almost — man, I hate to say stop believing, that’s not really the way to put it — but 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.”