De De and Joe Fasciano were awaiting the birth of their first child when doctors gave them a difficult diagnosis. They were told that their little boy had Harlequin ichthyosis, a genetic condition that creates hard, thick, scaly skin. Two days after receiving the news, doctors delivered the baby boy via emergency C-section with a team of specialists standing by. His parents named him Evan.

Eric Schmitt-Matzen looks every bit the part of Santa Claus.

His 6-foot frame carries 310 pounds, leaving “just enough of a lap for the kids to sit on,” he says with a gentle Kringley chuckle right out of Central Casting.