Berlin's Santa Shortage

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).