The city’s only Santa training school is in crisis mode after suffering a Kris Kringle clear out.The Australian Institute Of Santa Claus, which trains the jolly white-bearded favourite for shopping centres, used to have 15 Santas on its books; now it has two. “We’ve gone through Covid, loss, hard times, this, that and the other, and now, nobody wants to be Santa Claus,” the institute’s owner and manager John Zammitt said. “We are talking Christmas here. We have to keep the fantasy alive.”He has also had “no response whatsoever” to a four month advertising campaign, and constant call outs, for new Santas.Mr Zammitt said the major shopping centres he usually deals with, include a chain with 28 malls, have not yet committed to hosting traditional Santa meet and greet activities this year.“Normally, at this time, every year prior to Covid, we’d already have the Santas booked, shopping centres booked,” he said. “I have two Santas and no shopping centres.”He blamed national labour shortages for the downturn. “It really makes you wonder,” he said. “We are talking about Christmas, the biggest public holiday in Australia, and we can’t find Santas.”In lieu of shopping centre gigs, Mr Zammitt will focus on home visits and corporate work.In NSW, talent agency Scene to Believe has broadened its search, and is seeking diverse Santas to fill the gap.“We’ve got hundreds of jobs to fill across the country and we want to make sure we’ve got a Santa for everyone,” the agency’s managing director Stefan Hutton said. “Santa can be tall or short, come in different shapes and sizes and any race or disability – as long as they’ve got a passion for Christmas cheer.” The company is also working with Autism Spectrum Australia and Deaf Australia to upskill its Santas.
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