By Stephen Beech

Santa doesn't need a white beard and a round belly to be a success in the role, according to new research.

A study involving hundreds of people who have taken on the role of Santa Claus suggests that a calling to play the man with the bag full of toys is enough to help candidates overcome a lack of typical attributes to fill his boots.

American researchers interviewed more than 50 people who have been employed as Kris Kringle and analyzed over 800 responses to a survey of professional Santas.

Study co-author Dr. Borbala Csillag, of Oregon State University (OSU), said: “There are pretty strong societal expectations around what Santa looks like, but we found that most anybody can be Santa if their heart desires it.

“When we looked at the people behind the suit, we fo

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