How do you find a Santa Claus for hire?
We all see Santa Claus in parades, at Tree Lighting ceremonies, at malls and sporting goods stores, and more and more we hear about Santa Claus appearing at company and home parties, and even on Zoom calls.
Here is how to find a professional Santa Claus for hire…
Start with Google search, try “Santa Claus for hire YOUR LOCATION” and see who shows up.
You may also want to try a more refined search query, perhaps, “Santa Claus for parade YOUR LOCATION”. In short order, you will find a number of Santas in your area.
Depending on your area you may find a lot of professional Santas for hire, or only a few, in either case, you’ll want to start evaluating the Santas and create a prioritized list of potential candidates for your specific need.
Here are some things to consider when hiring a professional Santa Claus…
- What are the most important Santa Claus characteristics for a particular need?
For a child’s party, you may want a Santa with children’s entertainment skills, perhaps balloon twisting, or sleight of hand tricks. A professional photographer may place much more emphasis on Santas look, his smile, and perhaps his wardrobe. If you’re hiring Santa Claus for a parade or Tree Lighting ceremony you may want a Santa with experience speaking before large crowds.
The important thing is that you’re clear about what Santa characteristics and skills are most important to you. - Reviews, references, and letters of recommendation.
Yes, we all have different tastes. And yes, we all have good and bad days, even Santa Claus portrayal artists, but good reviews say a lot. They don’t say everything, but they do add a level of comfort when we’re hiring a Santa Claus, just as they do when we buy any product for the first time.
Check the reviews, look for venues where the Santa you’re considering has made multiple appearances, do your due diligence. - Santa Claus rates, paperwork & actual hiring.
Many Santa Claus portrayal artists operate as small, 1 or 2 person businesses, often very informally. In these cases, you would contract directly with the Santa, often paying a retainer to hold the date(s).
There are also online services that act as a ‘go between’ between you and Santa. The fee is negotiated and the paperwork is done through the app.
Another possibility is hiring a professional Santa Claus through a ‘placement service.’ In this scenario, you contract directly the service and they contract with the Santa. One potential drawback to this option is that you may not have much input on the Santa you get, or the amount being paid to the Santa (placement services have been known to pay Santas ½ and sometimes even ⅓ or a ¼ of the total fee paid)… consequently you may pay a rate commensurate with a 4 or 5 star Santa and receive a 2 or 3 star Santa who is not a great fit for your specific needs.
The final option is something we pioneered here at the Worldwide Santa Claus Network. We help you find a Santa who matches your needs. We provide you with appropriate candidates. If you find an acceptable candidate you negotiate the terms of your agreement and pay us, the Worldwide Santa Claus Network, an amount equal to 23% of what you pay the Santa. So if you paid the Santa $200, you would pay us an additional $46 for our service of connecting you with an acceptable candidate. If we don’t find an acceptable candidate there is, of course, no fee. - Insurance, Background Checks & Drug Tests for Santa Claus
Some companies, organizations, associations, schools, hospitals, etc. require a background check, some require liability insurance, some wanted to be added as an ‘additional insured’, some sometimes a drug test is required.
If you have any of these requirements be sure you bring these things up early so you have adequate time to find a replacement Santa if needed.
Another important consideration when looking for a Santa Claus for hire is timing.
Every year many of our members report turning away dozens and in some cases even a hundred or more requests for Santa appearances due to the fact that their schedules are full. Many Santas report their seasons being ‘booked solid’ as early as June & July with many more reporting full calendars in September & October. It’s never too early to find the perfect Santa Claus portrayal artist for your event.
Would you like help to find the perfect Santa Claus for hire for your event? If so CLICK HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
‘Santa’ Ed Taylor has been portraying Santa Claus since 2003. In addition to many appearances in parades & Tree Lighting ceremonies and hundreds of home & company parties, Santa Ed has also appeared in dozens of TV commercials, shows, a TV Special, and even a few Christmas movies. Santa Ed is also the founder of the Worldwide Santa Claus Network, an educational & fellowship network of nearly 5,000 Santa & Mrs. Claus portrayal artists. https://santaed.com/
The WSCN is also a tremendous resource for anyone involved in planning a holiday party or parade, tree lighting ceremony, or simply interested in having Santa & or Mrs. Claus or Mrs. Claus appear at anything from a small event to a season-long engagement. https://worldwide-santa-claus-network.com/
