TARRANT COUNTY, Texas —
It’s that special time of year, and this holiday season, Santa Claus has a full calendar.
According to HireSanta, an online site that allows people to book Santa for events and visits, demand is skyrocketing. The demand comes as HireSanta Founder Mitch Allen is struggling to fill more than 2,000 open positions for Santa Claus, elves and Mrs. Claus.
"The demand this year in 2022 is bigger than any we’ve ever seen before,” Allen said.
Allen, whose company is based in North Texas, told WFAA that weekend gigs nationwide have been booked since November.
“We’re having to say no, which is very, very hard to do,” Allen said.
HireSanta’s demand is up 30% from 2021 and has grown 125% from pre-pandemic levels, Allen said.
"For every one Santa, we have 20 customers," Allen said.
Allen said two key factors are driving the increased demand:
- An increased number of big malls and retailers are booking Santa for the entire season. Allen said it’s a marketing push aimed at showing a return to normalcy.
- Families that avoided pictures with Santa during the pandemic are now showing up for those iconic photos without plexiglass barriers, Allen said.
Allen's company, which was featured on Shark Tank, provides Santa bookings nationwide and across the world. HireSanta has also seen an increased demand for diverse Santas, including Black Santas, Spanish-speaking Santas and ASL-friendly Santas.
People are booking Santa for next year more than ever before, Allen told WFAA.
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