Tight labor market is making Santa Claus scarce this year

, demand for workers in this niche has surged as Americans try to return to pre-pandemic life. There are about 3,000 open positions across the country for Kris Kringle look-alikes at malls, homes and corporate events, said Mitch Allen, founder of Dallas-based talent agency HireSanta. The dearth of Santas comes as the U.S. unemployment rateAt the same time, the pool of available entertainers has declined by about 10% this year, Allen said. It’s an older cohort that is more vulnerable to COVID-19.

But as COVID ravaged the U.S. last year, Santa experiences changed. Macy’s and other retailers turned to virtual visits. The in-person attractions that remained came with social distancing measures, such as putting the jolly old elf in a giant snow globe.Even with coronavirus precautions in place, you can still see Santa this year — from a safe distance, through Plexiglas or via Zoom.

I wonder if Santa will be wearing a mask.

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