Just a few years ago, Santa Claus literally couldn't come to town: Headlines warned of too few St. Nick lookalikes available to make appearances at malls, stores, office parties and private gatherings.
- Recent anecdotes suggest that demand for Santas has become more Grinch-like, mirroring what's happening for temporary workers broadly.
Why it matters: Not even a Christmas season icon can dodge the labor market's woes.
The big picture: Labor shortages — for Santa and all other American workers (seasonal or not) — were rampant in 2021 and 2022, providing plentiful job opportunities.
- Today, those looking for even temporary gigs face sluggish hiring conditions.
Zoom in: "The number of people reaching out to us [to hire Santas] is down compared with last year — and last year was down compared with the year before. That's really due to the economy," Mitch Allen, who runs Hire Santa, a staffing agency, tells Axios.
- "People are still having Christmas celebrations, but they are not having as big of an event at their home or office," he says. "They might not have entertainers."
- Allen told NPR that leads — people calling to inquire about for-hire Santas to appear at malls, schools, offices or a private event — are down almost 30% compared with 2024.
- For mall Santas, some of that soft demand is structural and long in the making: There are fewer malls, and more people are doing their holiday shopping online.
The intrigue: Yet it's not just softer demand — a rebound in the number of prospective Santas available for work might also help explain why there appear to be fewer unable-to-fill opportunities.
- Allen says his agency has stepped up recruitment efforts in recent years.
- "We've worked hard over the last five years to increase the number of Santas that we have in our database."
Flashback: "COVID-19 was not favorable to a number of Santas and Mrs. Clauses," says Wade Wells, a Texas-based professional Santa. "There just weren't a lot of new Santas coming into the field."
The other side: An aging population looms over the broader U.S. workforce, with the share of prime-age workers projected to fall drastically in the years ahead.
- That demographic shift might just be a boon for the Santa profession if retirees — at least those who fit the "Santa mold" — choose to pick up seasonal work.
What to watch: Unlike other workers, temporary Santas may not have to worry about AI taking their job.
- "I feel comfortable that there will always be people who want a more real-time connection," says Ed Taylor, the founder of the Worldwide Santa Claus Network, a Santa Claus training and hiring site.
