Claus, Inc.: The Business of Being Santa

NPR | By Scott Horsley

Published December 24, 2004 at 12:00 AM EST

A Cherry Hill Photo Santa entertains 8-year-old Jerry Nguyen at the Westfield Shoppingtown North County mall in San Diego.

Joe Mystic performs as Santa Claus at events and parties in San Diego. In the city phonebook, Mystic is listed as "Santa Claus."

Christmas Eve is the busiest night of the year for Santa Claus. But for Santa look-alikes, business has been booming for weeks. A jolly old man in a red suit can make good money this time of year by playing Santa Claus -- especially if he has a real white beard.

The number of families flocking to the mall for a ritual visit to see a local Santa Claus representative means that the seasonal work can pay off handsomely.

As NPR's Scott Horsley reports, whether it's a local mall or a national chain of Santa shops that also sell photos, it takes a blend of Santa and selling to thrive at Christmastime.

Scott Horsley

Scott Horsley is NPR's Chief Economics Correspondent.

See stories by Scott Horsley

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Congress has eliminated all funding for public media.

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All donations are appreciated, but we ask in this moment you consider starting a monthly gift as a Sustainer to help replace what’s been lost.

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