Texas man reveals how his Santa-for-hire business has changed over the years: 'More personalized'
Ho, ho, ho!
A business owner is sharing details of his Christmas-themed business ahead of his favorite holiday.
Mitch Allen is a 53-year-old from Dallas, Texas, who launched a Santa Claus business in 2012.
Hire Santa is a company of professional Santa Clauses all over the world who can be hired during the holidays for guest appearances.
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Allen received a $200,000 investment from the TV show "Shark Tank" in 2018. He said his business has hired 1,000 new recruits just this year.
"Anyone can appear as Santa — but we are fussy with [those] we hire," he said to SWNS.
Allen noted that his company's recruits have to "have the Santa look."
They're required, for instance, to have a real beard and belly.
Additionally, Allen told Fox News Digital that this year they looked for Santas who had a certain type of professionalism about them.
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"We've seen a higher demand for Santas who are not only convincing in appearance, but also skilled in creating a magical atmosphere, adept in storytelling and able to form genuine connections with families," he said.
He also told SWNS that most of his employees are over age 65 and retired.
The entrepreneur said Santas can earn between $7,000 and $15,000 during the holidays.
The best of the bunch are sometimes sent across the world for an event — and can rake in $10,000 in just one night.
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"We do a lot of high-end private parties, which can often be the most magical experiences," he said.
This, however, is something Allen said has changed in the industry since Hire Santa began, he told Fox News Digital.
"In the years since we started Hire Santa, we've observed a notable shift in the Santa industry, particularly in the realms of professionalism and the nature of Santa experiences," he said.
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He continued, "There has been a substantial move away from the traditional mall Santa setup toward more personalized, immersive Santa experiences (home visits, company associations, etc.)."
Allen said the company hired 1,100 Santas during this year alone.
The father of three children — ages 20, 18 and 16 — Allen said he's personally traveled to appear as Santa.
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Yet his favorite memories are when he visited his own children as the merry St. Nick.
"After appearing as Santa Claus to my own children, I fell in love with helping to bring the love and joy of Christmas to others," he told Fox News Digital.
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While Allen’s love for the character runs deep, he said his wife refuses to be Mrs. Claus.
"My wife, Mysti, used to help me sneak in and out, but she’s never dressed up as Mrs. Claus with me — that’s not her thing," he told SWNS.
For more information about the company, visit hiresanta.com.
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