The Santa Gig

[Optimistic Paranoid]

It is, of course, too late to do anything about it this year, but there is a very interesting article in today's New York Post called The Santa Biz.  the gentleman they profiled works for six weeks, and makes between $10k and $12K.  They also mention training schools and at least one booking agency RealSantas.com.  Could be a pretty good gig - stay in one place for a couple of months and make enough to travel the other ten.  This could be ideal for Bob - he's already got the beard!

http://nypost.com/2016/12/12/the-business-of-being-santa/

 

[GotSmart]

I have been thinking about it for a while.  $125 an hour for getting your picture taken with children.  I can deal with that.

 

[Gary68]

i was attacked by 3 little biological weapons on thanksgiving and i am still in misery,starting to wonder if i have strep throat or something so i'll pass

 

[rvpopeye]

I have a good friend that does this with his wife.
About 15 years so far,,,,so they like it big time!
5 weeks for 5k-25K depending on how big the store or mall is.
They frequently parked their rig in the parking lot where they worked but preferred a CG with hookups. (30'class A)

When I met them at a workamping gig back in '05 he had to get some kind of dye for his not so white beard.

 

[KASibson]

5 weeks for 25k.
That's almost what I made in a year at my last job (with a college degree and 10 years of experience at the company).

 

[jimindenver]

Being Santa might be good but as the photographer I'd be running the other way. Most people just want their kid to sit on Santa's lap or have no issues with taking their own picture with a cell phone.

 

[rvpopeye]

As I used to tell a lot of envious engineer wannabe's when I was doing a show.
SOMEBODY'S got to do it. Why not YOU ?

 

[GotSmart]

Being Santa might be good but as the photographer I'd be running the other way. Most people just want their kid to sit on Santa's lap or have no issues with taking their own picture with a cell phone.

The money is made off of rich Grandma that wants the full monty of cards, wallet size, and portrait size in frames.  They are out there.

 

[jimindenver]

Not if granny has facebook. lol

 

[GotSmart]

Convenience, and the fancy digital mat finish printing that looks like a painting.

I have watched Grandma's dragged around spending a lot of money on little consumer, just because they could not do it with their parents.  

When I was doing construction.  The more I charged, the more rich customers I got.  If you charge it, they will pay.  I did my share of prts cost jobs for those in need, but to the PayPal executive, it was top dollar for labor only.  I would spend days making blueprints, and get a call when I was picking up the supplies.  "We want to change this or that."  No problem, I charge by the hour.

 

[jimindenver]

Now that I understand. What I got to charge the rich for scrubbing toilets is better than most educated folk get. We could clean anything and better than anyone too but our most valued product was the ability to be trusted.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

Wow, had no idea Santa's made so much. Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Kramer gets the Santa job and Mickey is his elf.

x2 on what GotSmart and Jimindenver said. Some wealthier people associate quality with price. If you don't charge enough they think they are getting an inferior product and also can't brag to their friends what they spent. Hard as it is to believe, people like this exist. I'm the opposite, I like to brag about a good deal when I find one!

 

[anewbiewannabe]

Ah, if only I could make my voice sound manly! LOL

For the right person I think this could be a fun job. Even if it wasn't fun all the time the pay and short duration would definitely make it bearable.