[PHOTO] Me and Yorkdale Fashion Santa (#yorkdalefashionsanta)

[rfmcdonald]

Sunday evening, I travelled north on the 29 Dufferin bus up to the Yorkdale Shopping Centre to have my photo taken with Yorkdale's Fashion Santa. If Justin Bieber did it, why not me?

NOW Toronto had a brief piece about this promotion.

Not even five minutes has passed after arriving at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre and already, Paul Mason is approached by shoppers who want photographs.

It’s hard not to notice the 51-year-old model. Dressed in a burgundy, velvet blazer with a plaid scarf draped over top, his appearance is striking. Greeting onlookers with a warm smile and his bright blue eyes, the white bearded man bears a resemblance to one of this holiday season’s most popular characters.

Each week, Mason can be found at Yorkdale posing for selfies with mall-goers to raise money for the Sick Kids Foundation. The mall will donate one dollar (up to $10,000) for every photo taken with the stylish Santa and posted on social media with the hashtag #YorkdaleFashionSanta. The campaign was started last year, but it was only this year that it went viral.

“It’s gone really well. Better than expected,” Mason says with a laugh.

It has gone so well, the phenomenon has gone global. The Mirror>, a British publication, suggests that this year, the people involved took their time planning.

For this year's Fashion Santa push, Paul and Yorkdale had more time to work on the professional-looking shots, taken back in October, and attached a charitable cause to the campaign.

Lucia Connor, Marketing Director at Yorkdale Shopping Centre, said: "The response has been spectacular - we knew there was magic in this year's campaign.

"Adults are delighting in an interpretation of Santa that they can enjoy.

"Fashion Santa has given adults a way to reconnect with the magic of the holidays.

"Paul is a very talented model and his strong facial features appeal to both women and men with his striking beard, sparkling eyes and warm smile."