The Great Santa Shortfall: U.S. Holiday Season Faces Sharp Drop in Seasonal Hiring

Demand for seasonal and temporary workers plummeted during the holiday season, extending even to once-reliable roles such as mall and party Santas. National staffing agencies specializing in Christmas performers report inquiries for this year’s Santa positions have fallen roughly 30% compared to last year—a stark reversal from the tight labor market conditions of 2021 and 2022.

“The number of people reaching out to us [to hire Santas] is down compared with last year,” said Mitch Allen, founder of Hire Santa. “People are still having Christmas celebrations, but they are not having as big of an event at their home or office.”

Industry experts link the decline in Santa job bookings to shifting labor market dynamics and evolving holiday shopping habits. With e-commerce expanding and traditional retail malls shrinking, retailers now have fewer in-person seasonal roles to fill, reducing demand for on-site entertainment and customer engagement positions.

Despite weaker hiring trends, certain sectors of the holiday labor market show signs of wage gains and heightened qualifications. Data from labor analysts indicates Santa performer listings increasingly require higher pay and stricter criteria, with many employers preferring candidates who naturally grow beards over those using costume facial hair.

Meanwhile, major retail and logistics employers continue to recruit seasonal workers for core operations—though overall numbers remain below decade-long averages. Retailers like Amazon have announced plans to deploy large temporary workforces for peak shipping volumes, while other chains scaled back or maintained modest hiring levels.

Reduced seasonal hiring combined with a growing pool of job seekers competing for fewer openings signals mounting strain in the labor market that analysts warn could foreshadow significant challenges in 2026.

The shift coincides with President Donald Trump’s administration promoting greater movement of workers from public-sector jobs to private-sector roles, framing recent employment data as proof of its economic strategy. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated: “The strong jobs report shows how President Trump is fixing the damage caused by Joe Biden and creating a strong, America First economy in record time.” She added that since taking office, 100% of job growth has come in the private sector and among native-born Americans.