GERMANY is facing a Santa Claus shortage in the run-up to Christmas, as new recruits fail to meet high Teutonic standards of jollity and expertise.

Job agencies, which are currently conducting a desperate last-minute recruitment drive, have reported a distinct lack of jolly, rotund, fluffy-bearded Santas with no criminal records.

Among the tough criteria are a suitably low voice, child-friendliness, good German, not too youthful, and a full repertoire of Christmas poems and songs. For good measure, they must show spontaneity and energy.

“It takes a lot to be a good Santa,” said Tarik Kilinc of the Heinzelmaennchen agency in Berlin. “About 10% don’t make it through the casting process.

“Just handing out presents isn’t enough. Our Santas have to sing songs with the families and talk to the parents about their children and the evening’s arrangements,” he added.

“The kids want to see sleds and reindeer and you need calm nerves to deal with that,” Kilinc said. “Every year it becomes harder to recruit people.”

The shortage has been made all the more acute because of a record number of bookings, as families try to capture the Christmas spirit amid economic gloom. In Berlin alone, job agencies are 150 short of the 500 Father Christmases required for up to 5,000 private parties, school and shopping mall events.

Agencies from Hamburg to Munich face similar problems. Jens Wittenberger, in charge of Santa recruitment at the Jobcafe in Munich, said the demanding standards “put people off”.

“Being Santa is not an easy job,” he said. “To be honest, not many people have what it takes to be a good Father Christmas.”

His recruits are rigorously schooled; learning, for example, how to deal with tricky questions from children such as “Why does your beard look fake?”

Andreas Werhan, 41, a veteran Father Christmas, said: “Children have much higher expectations about gifts nowadays. I’m amazed by some of the presents they receive.”

Despite the stress, Santas can make up to €60 (£50) an hour, said Wittenberger. “That’s not bad, is it?”

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