Santa Tom started in the year 2000 as a relief Santa, substituting in shopping malls from South to Central Jersey when a scheduled Santa called out sick. He says he soon decided against the long hours and sometimes backbreaking work of a mall Santa.

Now, Zimecki does home visits, school fundraisers and charitable gatherings. His resume of advertisements, events and appearances reads like a corporate who's who: Microsoft, Kmart, MasterCard, Tourneau, Clorox, Southwest Airlines and the Philadelphia Phillies, to name a few. He's been on "Fox & Friends" every Christmas morning for the past five years and he's joined Elmo and friends on the streets of Sesame Place, the theme park in Langhorne, PA.

"When I see someone and their eyes light up, no matter what age, I just smile back and give them a wink, and I'm fulfilled," says the 63-year-old Edgewater Park resident, who is married and has three children and two grandchildren.