44 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Winter 2012–13

Sara Royster

Sara Royster is 

an economist 

in the Office of 

Occupational 

Statistics and 

Employment Projections, BLS. She 

can be reached at 

(202) 691-5645 

or royster.sara@

bls.gov.

You’re a what ?

Santa Claus

For Phil Wenz, playing Santa Claus is 

not play at all. It’s his job.

Phil has been dressing up as Santa 

Claus for nearly 50 years. “It started when I 

was 4 years old,” he says. “I asked my mother 

to make a Santa suit for me. I’ve worn one 

every year since.” As a teenager, Phil dressed 

up as Santa to visit patients at a local hospital. He continued to play Santa in parades 

and other events, eventually landing a fulltime Santa job at a Christmas theme park in 

Dundee, Illinois.

Professional Santas like Phil entertain 

children and adults during the holiday season 

at all types of events. They work at shopping 

malls or stores; entertain crowds at parades 

and tree lightings; and make appearances at 

holiday parties, charity events, and people’s 

homes.

Most Santas work during the Christmas 

holiday season, which usually lasts from late 

November through December 25. Santas at 

shopping malls or department stores often 

work 10-hour shifts and see more than 150 

children each day, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers. Phil 

estimates that he sees between 350 and 400 

kids each day at the theme park during the 

Christmas season.

In the off season, Phil still works at the 

theme park. He also does other Santa-related 

work. For example, Phil has used his Santa 

expertise to consult for movies and television. 

He’s also participated in a Santa Claus documentary and writes books on the subject.

Phil’s year-round work makes him different from most other professional Santas. Some 

Santas might do other Santa-related work 

throughout the year, such as playing Santa 

in print or television advertising or in acting 

roles. But because the holiday season is so 

short, many Santas have other, unrelated jobs.

Professional Santas spend a lot of time 

getting ready for the part. The physical 

transformation into Santa can take up to 2 

hours. First, Santas apply makeup to highlight their rosy cheeks. Next, they make sure 

to have clean teeth and fresh breath. Santas 

then groom or apply their whiskers. Naturally 

bearded Santas must trim and sometimes 

bleach their beards, whereas clean-shaven 

Santas apply fake beards with special glue. 

Phil has six fake beard sets that he rotates; 

each is handmade and cost up to $1,500.

Finally, Santas put on the famous red 

suit—which can have up to 100 pounds of 

padding. The suit includes pants, suspenders, 

a coat, boots, and, of course, the Santa hat. 

“When you walk out of that dressing room,” 

says Phil, “you have to be Santa.”

And although they are known for their 

bowl-full-of-jelly physiques, it is important 

that Santas keep in shape. Their work can 

involve hours of sitting with few opportunities to move around or stretch. Long periods 

of inactivity can lead to health risks, meaning 

that physical fitness must be a priority. “Nutrition is important,” stresses Phil. “You have to 

take care of yourself and be healthy.”

There are no formal educational requirements for becoming a professional Santa. 

However, aspiring Santas often develop their 

skills by attending schools, conventions, or 

workshops. Santa schools typically last a few 

days, charge tuition, and include detailed 

instruction on topics such as beard maintenance, communication skills, and sleigh flying. Santa conventions take place all over the 

world and offer both beginner and 
Winter 2012–13 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 45

experienced Santas the opportunity to mix 

and mingle.

Santa workshops occur throughout the 

year and offer classes and lectures on a variety 

of Christmas-related topics. Phil directs a free 

Santa workshop in appropriately named Santa 

Claus, Indiana. The workshop brings together 

several hundred first-time and veteran Santas 

from around the world to share their experiences and learn new skills. It features carol 

singing, guest speakers, and presentations. 

Phil presents a lecture on the history of Santa 

Claus and gives tips on how to deal with feisty 

children.

Part of the value in attending these events 

is the opportunity for newer Santas to pick up 

ideas from veteran ones. “Aspiring Santas can 

learn from the people who are good at this 

and have been doing this for a long time,” says 

Phil.

One thing aspiring professional Santas 

must learn is good communication skills. 

Another is being able to improvise and think 

quickly—“a little bit vaudeville, a little bit 

creativity,” as Phil puts it. Professional Santas 

also should be enthusiastic about the holiday 

season and aware of Christmas traditions from 

around the world.

In addition, the best professional Santas are jovial and love to be around people, 

especially children. Santas must be patient 

and understanding when dealing with crowds 

of all ages—including parents. “Remember, 

you are the world’s oldest senior citizen,” Phil 

says. “Everyone is a child to you.”

Expert knowledge of Santa is important, 

because curious children often ask questions 

about Santa and Mrs. Claus, the elves, the 

reindeer, and the North Pole. “Santa is 1,700 

years old,” says Phil, who is an expert in Santa 

history. Other crucial knowledge for Santas 

includes familiarity with the latest toys that 

kids might be asking for.

Most professional Santas like the freedom 

that comes with being their own boss and 

setting their own hours. But working independently requires a lot of motivation and selfdiscipline. As self-employed workers, professional Santas are responsible for promoting 

themselves and finding their own jobs. They 

also incur a lot of business expenses, such as 

getting professional photographs and buying 

personal liability insurance. However, making 

these investments can help Santas find work 

more easily.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 

does not specifically track the employment 

and wages of professional Santas. Most find 

seasonal work in shopping malls, stores, or 

photography companies. Professional Santas 

are often hired through referrals, so meeting 

other Santas can be an important source of 

work. “Get involved with a Santa group or 

charity,” says Phil. “They are great networking opportunities.”

Anecdotal evidence suggests that the 

earnings of professional Santas vary considerably, depending on the type of employer and 

duration of the work. The most lucrative work 

reportedly comes from contracts with shopping malls and photography companies, from 

which a professional Santa can earn up to 

$20,000 in one holiday season.

But after almost half a century of playing 

Santa, it is not about the money for Phil. He 

still finds it incredibly rewarding. “If you’ve 

had a good day,” he says, “you have made 

countless people happy and created a lot of 

memories.”

Photo courtesy of Phil Wenz.

Sharing his knowledge 

about Santa history and 

traditions is one of Phil 

Wenz’s favorite work 

activities.