From BZ/dpa
There is also a shortage of skilled workers in the Christmas industry.
Santa Claus actors are rare and the staffing level for angels is also thin – placement agencies in Berlin and Brandenburg are therefore actively looking using different strategies. “I speak to women who appear angelic directly on the street or ask fellow actors,” says Angela Jehring, herself an actress and owner of the Agency “Engel in Berlin”. When it comes to Santa Claus, she likes to rely on recommendations from her friends.
From their point of view, the personnel pool for both the angels and Santa Clauses could be larger because the demand is there. “It happens again and again that angels also start a family and are no longer available for Christmas,” says Jehring.
Also Tobias Groß from the Christmas mediation “Santa Claus2Go” relies on personal searches: “We go to canteens at Berlin universities and speak to students directly,” says Groß. This is how he himself was once recruited as Santa Claus. In a personal conversation, you can also easily convey to potential candidates that it is not just the very good pay that is an argument for the job as Santa Claus.
500 euros per evening as Santa Claus
“It’s also a huge enrichment and a great experience for the Santas themselves,” says Groß. You get very personal access to families and experience many great moments. “It’s just incomparable work,” he says. And you earn good money. As Santa Claus, you can earn 500 euros or more in a single evening, according to the “Santa Claus2Go” website.
Monika Kubau from the Berlin Santa Claus Headquarters hopes to be able to increase her Santa Claus workforce by placing advertisements. “Previous experience is not actually necessary, but Santa Clauses should have some acting talent,” she says.
In order to make as many children’s eyes light up as possible, it is also necessary for Santa Clauses to be mobile with a car, according to the agent from Hohen Neuendorf.