Being a professional Santa Claus isn't as easy as it sounds, even now that Amazon and similar companies help deliver the gifts and you don't have to rely solely on your reindeer and sleigh. It is essential to know how to act and listen, to be photogenic and enthusiastic, to have empathy and patience with children (and sometimes their parents), to give them confidence so that they don't get scared, to have a good beard (real or false) and a dress in good condition, know how to socialize and communicate with customers, marketing knowledge...
In England (and also in the United States) there is a shortage of Saints in this pre-Christmas period. It is a problem that has been dragging on since the pandemic, exacerbated by Brexit and the cost of living crisis (the British economy is at a standstill). Many people disappeared from the labor market with covid and have not returned. To which must be added the return to their countries of EU citizens, which corners the hospitality sector, and also to bring gifts to the children on the night of December 24. The new Indian, Chinese and Pakistani immigrants do not fit the character like a German, a Finn or a Pole.
In times of austerity and cuts, that of Santa Claus is a well-paid job. The usual rate used to be between twenty and thirty euros an hour, with working days of between eight and twelve hours a day from the beginning of the month until Christmas. But, with the shortage of people willing to put on the suit, hood and beard to get into the grotto, there are those who are offering up to a hundred an hour and a thousand for the whole day this year, which it can generate income that can easily reach twenty thousand euros for the whole season.
But not like that. Just as there is a lack of waiters to serve the tables in restaurants, and truck drivers to bring goods from the continent to the United Kingdom, there is also a lack of Santa Claus. After all, it is by definition a temporary and precarious occupation, and in the midst of an economic crisis, in which dogs are not tied to sausages, potential candidates prefer to opt for safer jobs that give them food all year round.
A professional Santa Claus is defined in the dictionary as "someone who attends events (parades, lighting of lights and trees, company parties...) and interacts with other people representing this character, especially at Christmas, using his resources as an actor to create an experience as realistic and authentic as possible". Some even visit homes and go to schools.
The perfect Santa has an extensive resume detailing his experience and a good contact book to offer his services year after year when the sleigh driven by Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer arrives from Lapland to the British Isles or from 'Alaska in Canada and the rest of the United States. He does commercials, keeps his beard well-groomed, takes his dress to the dry cleaners, puts makeup on his cheeks, is patient in photo shoots and acts as a guardian of traditions, never going off script. There are specialized academies that teach everything you need.
The Saints are paid well (although the costumes and travel costs are covered by them) because the companies that organize the events in which they appear – usually a grotto in a park or a shopping mall, but also private parties – they don't cut corners when it comes to charging for the children's excitement. It's like going to the zoo or Disneyland, with tickets of up to 25 euros per beard, and never more (for a large family the experience costs a kidney, and that's before at least starting to buy the presents).
Those willing to commit to being Santa Claus are already booked for Christmas 2024, although this has the disadvantage of having to free up their schedule and give up other possible projects in December. Companies such as Happy Entertainment or Agency Hire Santa do not hesitate to offer them a juicy premium to secure next year's business, because the market is very complicated and it does not seem that the economy should improve substantially.
In their desperation, some companies have lowered their standards and don't even ask for prior experience or acting qualifications. Just a "general knowledge" of what Christmas is and who Santa Claus is, a white beard, a decent suit, the ITV of the sleigh and the license to drive it.
