As if donning an itchy red suit and entertaining kids all day weren't a tough enough gig, the nation's professional Santa Clauses face another cheer-sapping challenge this holiday season: getting a job.

Job listings for store Santas are down 35% this year, compared with 2024, according to Revelio Labs. Indeed, the number of postings at malls, stores and other outlets has fallen sharply since 2022, the workforce research firm found.

The reasons: Employers are cutting budgets, more malls are closing their doors, and many parents these days choose to avoid the crowds — and the experience of plopping an unsuspecting toddler on a store Santa's lap — in favor of online shopping.

The drop in Santa job postings comes amid generally soft holiday-season hiring this year as retailers look to contain costs. The nation's unemployment rate surged to 4.6% in November, the highest in more than four years.

Monthly unemployment rate
The news isn't all bad for Santa wannabes. Although fewer places are hiring, pay is improving — the median hourly wage for Santa jobs is now $25, up from $21.89 in 2022, Revelio found.

Then again, employers want only the most qualified candidates. Roughly 70% of listings for store Santas this year require a real beard, according to the firm, up from only 14% three years ago.

"Economists call this a composition effect: The average salary is changing, not because the actual pay is rising, but because of who's left in the hiring pool," Revelio said. "As employers require real beards for most positions, they're hiring only from the higher-paid tier. Average wages climb, but it's not a story of rising pay. It's a shrinking labor market dressed up as good news."

And to all a good night!

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