Bad times to be Santa Claus in Brazil 3:14
(CNN) -
These days are starting to feel a lot like Christmas.
But you may not see the jolly Santa Claus at so many festive gatherings this year.
Demand for appearances by Santas at parties, parades and other events has exploded this Christmas season, while the number of Santas trained and available has decreased, yet another supply chain disruption caused by the pandemic.
Businesses offering Santas for holiday events are struggling to keep up with demand, says Mitch Allen, founder and chief elf of Hire Santa, a Fort Worth, Texas-based company that helps customers book Santas across the country.
Allen said his company has 10% fewer Santa Claus available this year, while requests from Santas have more than doubled compared to pre-pandemic levels.
How many children still believe in Santa Claus?
"There is a great demand," Allen said.
"We've been out of stock on the weekends for over a month, which is unusual. Usually we are out of stock after Thanksgiving."
Mitch Allen of Hire Santa says his company has seen an increase in demand for Santas services this year.
Allen attributes the surge in demand to event planners who are tired of the lingering pandemic and want to brighten up the Christmas festivities to make up for lost time.
The shortage may not be immediately apparent at the malls because many booked Santas in the first quarter of the year, Allen said.
But some retailers' harvest of Santas is sparse, meaning they must ask Santas to work longer shifts or limit the hours they are available to the public, he said.
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Enrollments in Santa Claus schools have fallen
Susen Mesco, who has operated a Santa Claus vocational school in Denver for nearly four decades and dons a Mrs. Claus costume herself, says she doesn't get much sleep due to the shortage.
"The bookings are overwhelming this year. I get calls for a Santa every eight minutes," he said.
"But it's not all bad news. It also means that people are coming out of the pandemic. Now that we've all had two years to understand and adapt to the pandemic, more people want to be together."
Mesco attributed the shortage to several factors.
Santas schools across the country saw fewer enrollments in 2020 and 2021 due to coronavirus fears, resulting in a smaller field of qualified Santas, he said.
His school alone lost 120 potential apprentices.
"Nobody wanted to travel (for classes) or be at a conference," he said.
Tim Connaghan has worked as Santa Claus for over 50 years.
He says his booking agency requires Santas to have proof of Covid-19 vaccination.
His Santas take 180 hours of lessons in a wide range of areas, ranging from sign language and child development to how to curl their beards.
They are also informed about the best answers to common questions children ask.
Mesco said the pandemic also prompted many older Santas to hang up their red coats.
"Some of them just said, 'I'll retire now,'" he said.
“I've had 15 Santas who put down their suit and said, 'Find a good place for that.'
"Some other Santas have decided this is a good time to take a break," said Tim Connaghan, nicknamed "National Santa," who appears in major Christmas parades and is the main Santa Claus of the Marines' Toys for Tots campaign.
Connaghan also owns a Santa booking agency;
He said he surveyed his fellow Santas and found that 18% are taking 2021 off.
It's been a tragic year for the Santas
Santa Claus at Macy's Santaland in New York City on November 30, 2021. Some companies have come up with creative ways to ensure that Santa distances himself socially during the pandemic.
The average Santa Claus is in his 60s and weighs 112 kilos, Connaghan said, putting them at high risk for coronavirus infections.
More than 335 Santas have died this year from coronavirus and other ailments, according to Allen of Hire Santa.
"Those are the ones we know about. And there are more last year," he said.
And he added that not all the deaths have been related to covid-19.
Mesco said his booking agency has lost more than 50 Santas to the pandemic.
Being a Santa in a pandemic comes with a lot of additional responsibility.
Connaghan said his booking agency requires the Santas to have proof of vaccination, and he does a rapid coronavirus test himself twice a week.
"We have to be safe," he said.
"I have hundreds of Santas doing self-tests."
Still, some Santas are staying out of the pandemic because they fear being exposed to hundreds of potentially contagious children.
Connaghan said nearly all of the Santas he surveyed said that children sneeze or cough on a daily basis, so additional safety measures are crucial.
Over the past year, some shopping mall Santas have been forced to greet children from behind Plexiglass barriers.
Others have greeted children through live video calls.
5-year-old Jeev Anand is photographed by his mother, Jasmeen, while posing with Santa Claus in protective surroundings in December 2020 at the Westfield Century City Mall in Los Angeles.
Racially diverse Santa Claus are even rarer
The Santa Claus shortage is even more acute for Santas of color.
The Santa Claus industry is gradually becoming more racially and ethnically diverse, and more Santas are learning American Sign Language, but it's still not enough, Allen said.
"We still have a shortage when it comes to diversity," he said.
"For every 500 white Santas, we have one black Santa."
Dion Sinclair, also known as Santa Dee or "The Real Black Santa".
Last month, Old Navy partnered with Connaghan, along with Dion Sinclair, known as Santa Dee or "The Real Black Santa," and others to launch a 30-minute online training program for people who want to serve as Santas.
The program encourages participants of all origins, ethnicities, and cultural heritages.
"Diversity is a current challenge in the Santas industry," Old Navy said in a statement.
"Less than 5% of all professional Santas in the US identify as people of color, while nearly half of children under 15 in the US identify as non-white."
A company spokesperson said the program has trained "hundreds of inclusive Santas so far," but did not provide a specific number.
But next year it looks better
The owners of Santas booking agencies have advice for any event planner struggling to find one this holiday season.
They ask for flexibility: except during Christmas week, it is easier to book Santas during the week than on weekends.
And in a pinch, virtual Santas are more readily available than those in the real world.
Santa Claus arrives at a holiday event at HarborWalk in Boston on November 21, 2021. Some companies are already booking Santas for the holiday season next year.
Mesco said this year he is encouraging people to schedule parties based on the availability of the Santas.
"People look for hotels and catering services, and then they say let's get a Santa," he said.
"That might not work."
He also urged people to be open to Santa visiting until the New Year.
"I don't consider it a shortage of Santas. It's more of an overwhelming demand, because people are hopeful," he said.
"They want to bring Christmas back, they want their holidays. It is a beautiful testament to the American spirit."
And things are looking better for 2022. The Santas shortage has caused a flood of large retailers and other customers already booking for Christmas next year, Allen said.
And potential Santas are once again enrolling in schools for next year.
Mesco said Wednesday that 30 people had signed up in the past few days.
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