As a kid I was convinced (and rightly so) that Santa was the real deal.

Why? Because I was confident in the undeniable fact my parents couldn't have afforded the stocking fillers and other wrapped gifts by themselves.

Santa must have played his part, right?

It has been years since I was visited by Father Christmas, but last week I once again found myself at his imposing throne.

This time right in the middle of a suburban shopping centre.

You can go straight from Santa to the shops. ( ABC News: James Hancock )

As I towered over the queue of twitchy, but mostly well-behaved children, eyes all agog, it was interesting to see the childhood attraction to this Christmas tradition seemed as strong as ever.

The mock North Pole, with its imitation stone path and forest of twinkling artificial trees, was like a siren's call for kids in the middle of this bustling shrine to shops in Melbourne's east.

Sure, it might look a tad contrived for us adults, but for these little true believers the shoppers buzzing by were little more than white noise. Their focus was on what lay ahead.

And the star of the show was certainly being kept busy.

"Some days it's like one after another after another for four hours straight," Santa told me.

I can think of few things more challenging than keeping hundreds of kids and their parents happy — particularly the terrified little ones who howl after so much as a glance at the big man in red.

A lot of work goes on behind the scenes to get those smiles. ( ABC News: Jane Cowan )

But behind the white beard and stocking cap, Santa appears as cheery and relaxed as the role demands, comfortable in the knowledge he is doing his bit to preserve a tradition formed in part by the Coca Cola company early last century.

For parents and retailers, the story isn't quite as rosy as Santa's cheeks.

The data shows shoppers are feeling cautious amid weak wages growth. On the other side, a survey of retailers by Deloitte found only 62 per cent were expecting higher sales this year.

Sure, shoppers are expected to part with more than $52 billion, according to the Australian Retailers Association, but the forecast growth rate is 2.6 per cent below last year.

Santa is likely stopping by your local shopping centre to help. ( ABC News: James Hancock )

With all this in mind, getting shoppers in the door is more important than ever for stores.

Shopping centres now employ people with titles like "director of customer experience" and "director of experience for retail".

You can now get your photo with Santa not with your child, but with your pet.

Many centres also offer complementary craft sessions and carols, and have valet parking for time-poor parents who listen intently to what their child asks Santa for.

Santa's helpers are ready to capture the perfect shot. ( ABC News: James Hancock )

All this exuberant spending and centre frenzy got me thinking: what do kids actually want this Christmas?

So I got asking.

Yes, one boy wanted a PlayStation, but I was left surprised by the number of simple options.

Most kids only had one thing on their list: a barbie; a dollhouse; a snorkel; chocolates.

Nine-year-old Emma just wanted stationery for school and a drink bottle.

Four-year-old James did want a real reindeer ("so I can ride it"), but for the most part, the wish lists were modest.

For most kids, the Christmas list was small and simple. ( ABC News: Jane Cowan )

Then there were the touching requests.

"I had these beautiful little two brothers," Santa recalled.

"One brother said, 'I want a really nice day with my family', and the other one said, 'No money. My mum has something wrong with her gums and I want you to wish for her to be better'.

"How beautiful is that?"

Honourable requests indeed. I doubt I would have asked for anything so immaterial when I was that young.

But it shows that even the alluring behemoth that is the suburban shopping centre cannot snuff out the more important reason for having Christmas.

Even though times, cultural traditions and religious observance are changing rapidly, the focus of the day remains much the same — sharing and caring for one another.

And if you're like my parents and are busting to fill your child's stocking, take heart that maybe the requests are simpler than you're asked to believe.