Santa Claus is in short supply this year due the infectious-disease pandemic, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The report noted restaurant workers, truck drivers, and people willing to economy in retail are all in short supply, and now add Santa Claus to the list.
“We’re seeing the demand up over 120% — over what it was last year pre-pandemic, as well as there are just fewer Santa Clauses,” Mitch Allen told a news outlet.
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Allen, founder of HireSanta.com, a national company that started on the show shark-tank” target=”_blank”>Shark Tank<.”
The typically older, heavier-set men who play Santa are more concerned about their health risks working with unknown clients this year, often only choosing to work with familiar people they worked with in the past, making it harder to find qualified candidates this year, according to the Journal.
The risk for getting hospitalized or even dying from COVID-19 increases for older people in their 50’s, with people 85 and older at most risk, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Dad and daughter near the tree indoors. The morning before Xmas. Portrait loving family close up.
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Last year, many little kids only could visit with Santa virtually, but declining COVID-19 cases this year have families clamoring to gather together for the occasions, which has created a high demand for the Santa industry this year.
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The short supply has also created a new bargaining power for Santa to command about 10-25% higher pay, said Allen.
Brian Wilson, vice president of communications for California-based Santa for Hire, told the Journal that the current going rate is about $50 higher than usual — approximately $175 to $300 an hour, depending on the location and number of hours.
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For Stephen Arnold, chief executive of IBRBS, formerly known as the International Brotherhood of Real Bearded Santas, it’s more about short supply than demand due to COVID-19: “There are as many Santas as there were in 2018 and 2019 but their willingness to work certain types of gigs where they might be at risk is still limited.”
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And don’t forget about Mrs. Claus: Susen Mesco, founder of a Denver professional Santa school and president of American Events and Promotions, noted to the WSJ that she has about 200 women in her network who are getting solo bookings more frequently, but in her 39 years working in the industry, she has never seen a year like this.
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“I had one lady call me up two days ago in tears. She needed a Santa for her country club. She said, ‘I’m willing to pay anything.’ And I said, ‘That’s not fair,’ “Mesco said.
