'Fashion Santa' is turning heads at Yorkdale

'Fashion Santa' poses in a photo from Yorkdale Shopping Centre.

Santa Claus may be a timeless figure, but through the ages he has never had a figure like “Fashion Santa” at a Toronto-area mall.

Paul Mason has been a model for more than thirty years. Two years ago, the Toronto model grew a beard and adopted the identity of Fashion Santa, turning heads at Yorkdale Shopping Centre.

“You get people that are a little confused, but once they think about it for a second, they warm up,” Mason said.

Mason wears a red jacket, black belt and boots, but says he draws the line at wearing a hat.

“No hat, no God, please. I draw the line there,” Mason said. “I am wearing a velvet jacket, it's Ferragamo, but I am wearing a velvet jacket.”

For every selfie taken with Fashion Santa that gets posted on social media, Yorkdale donates $1 to the SickKids Foundation.