"These seasonal jobs run the gamut. Think temporary cashiers, gift wrappers, sales associates, greeters, merchandisers, warehouse unloaders, delivery drivers. But the quintessential and most iconic seasonal worker has got to be Santa Claus. In addition to sliding down chimneys to deliver presents on Christmas, Jolly Old Saint Nicholas takes gigs at places like malls, department stores, corporate events, and private parties in the weeks leading up to Dec. 25."
"The Grinch that stole Santa visits Mitch Allen is the founder and "Head Elf" at Hire Santa, an agency that provides Santas for holiday events around the nation and world (we talked to Allen in a past Planet Money newsletter). Allen estimates there are probably around nine or ten thousand professional or "near professional" Santa Clauses in the United States."
"As we report in this week's Planet Money newsletter, demand for professional Santas seems to have cooled. It's one small part of a broader decline in the demand for seasonal workers this holiday season. It got us wondering how the market for Santas fluctuates with the business cycle, which sectors of the Santa market are recession-proof, and whether a decline in Santa demand this season could be a sign that the U.S. economy is going down the chimney."
American retailers hire roughly half a million extra workers each holiday shopping season. Seasonal roles include temporary cashiers, gift wrappers, sales associates, greeters, merchandisers, warehouse unloaders, and delivery drivers. Santa Claus serves as the iconic seasonal worker, appearing at malls, department stores, corporate events, and private parties in the weeks before Dec. 25. Demand for professional Santas has cooled this year, representing one component of a broader decline in seasonal hiring. Mitch Allen, founder and 'Head Elf' at Hire Santa, estimates about nine to ten thousand professional or near-professional Santas in the United States and notes occasional off-season appearances such as 'Christmas in July.'
Read at www.npr.org
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