Berlin is facing an acute shortage of Santas just a month before Christmas, the head of a Father Christmas placement agency said Monday.The director of Berlin’s “Heinzelmaennchen” agency, which provides Santas to thousands of Berlin families every Christmas Eve, said he was having trouble getting enough qualified help.
“We prefer chubby men, of course, ideally with a real beard but we’re not picky and take what we get,” said director Rene Heydeck, whose official title is Ober-Weinachtsmann (chief Santa Claus).
“In a lot of families in Berlin it’s a tradition that carries on even after the children grow older and stop believing,” Heydeck said.
Each Santa visits an average of 10 to 12 families, although some have managed up to 20.
“It’s hard work and sometimes you have to run faster if you fall behind schedule,” Heydeck said. “But it’s great fun.”
No, I won’t do it.
“We prefer chubby men, of course, ideally with a real beard…”
Back in the 80s I used to be Santa for a local K-Mart. I was 6’3″ and weighed 185. Needless to say, I didn’t really look the part. I didn’t even pretend to be Santa, I told the kids that Santa was really busy and I was his helper. They accepted that.
In reference to the picture…
Heil Santa!
In todays atmosphere of mean spirited distrust any one volunteering for Santa duty would be labeled a pedophile and put on some kind of watch list. Thing about it is, hell, they could be right.
Mmmm… Bearded mature men in tall black leather boots *drool*
And you guys realize that in these hip hop saturated times, Santa is not laughing but implying something else? 😉