Forget the cookies and milk! This holiday season, all Santa wants for Christmas is the H1N1 vaccine. Santa's across the nation are asking to be given priority for the vaccine.

Few people will come into contact with more children between now and the end of the year besides Santa. Research also suggests obesity could be a risk factor for severe H1N1 flu and about a third of the nation's Santas are at least 100 pounds overweight.

You better not cough; you better not sneeze; when you sit on Santa Clauses' knees.

“He's going to be picking up kids and holding them,” parent Daniele Van Den Bossche said about Santa. “He's pretty brave.”

Yes, this year, instead of worrying who's been naughty or nice, Santa is more worried about who's sick. An annual tradition could turn into a prime spreading ground for the H1N1 flu.

"It is a big worry,” said one Santa. “I would hate to be, or Santa to be, responsible for causing children to get sick."

"What would you think if Santa was sick,” KEYE TV’s Katherine Stolp asked a table full of children?

“Bad,” one boy told her. “Because he brings us presents every year."

So, to make sure Santa can make his rounds, Santa and his brothers are ditching the traditional white gloves, so they can use hand sanitizer more often. Barton Creek Mall put hand sanitizer at Santa's station to help prevent the virus that's easily spread through close contact.

Many Santas are also washing their suits daily instead of weekly. And kids hope Santa stays well, because they have some serious requests this year. And the Santas hope to deliver while staying jolly, not germy.

It's also up to parents to help out. Local Santa organizations ask for Moms and Dads to keep their sick kids away from malls and other Santa hot spots until they're feeling better.

The symptoms from the CDC for H1N1 are a fever, chills, headache, body aches and fatigue. Symptoms can come on within three to six hours.