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St. PETERSBURG, Florida - Craig McTavish - alias Santa - a beard. There the belly. He has a few tricks up its sleeve as draught to the parties on his Harley-Davidson in garb of Kris Kringle full.

But there is one thing, it did not: work.

Since freelance Santas, the holiday season is more "step, no, no," that "" ho, ho, ho. "" Bookings decreased paying $ 125 per hour for Father Christmas to visit a holiday party became an unaffordable luxury. This is the second year the decline of parties and events, Santas say.

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"This year has been a bust as well as any money," said McTavish, a retired firefighter who films business development landscape with his son. "I have reserved nothing." Usually there is always something for Christmas Eve, but I don't even have that. ?

In addition to knowing that children have been bad or good, modern Santa also hears families do not have enough money to the present.

"You can see the slowdown of the Chair," said Nicholas Trolli, the President of the United order of real bearded Santas - a social group of 1,700 members the formerly nicknamed Boston Herald "Of The Nation Prime Minister Brotherhood of Santas list."

Trolli lives in Sarasota, Florida, but travel throughout the country as a hired father. One day recently, he worked at a mall in Kansas City who had lower prices photo 20 per cent.

"People tell us that they cannot afford just a picture with Santa," said Trolli.

Even in demand Santas with real Barbe had rates, said Trolli. They Commander once $200 an hour, but now they charge you a half that.

Trolli said that anecdotal, reservations of its members are disabled approximately 25 percent. Other Santas nation's stated that, in the good years, they reserved 40 events per season and are less than 10. Others who booked once 10 events per year are none.

Most Santas rely on concerts as the primary source of income, but they say that they enjoy doing and the extra money is nice.

John Wenner, a father with a real beard heights Woodbury, NJ said that good last year was 2008, when he booked dozens of private parties and corporate jobs. This season, it was only a few concerts.

"They are down this year," Wenner says. "It's incredible how down." I have even reduce my price a little help to sway a little more business. As is the case, how the economy was, it becomes difficult. ?

Despite the less-than-jolly economic context, Santas said that the joys of labour constituted mainly for hard times.

They like to talk to children, making adults laugh and spread holiday joy in a year where joy was in short supply. Several mentioned this purchase - or even trees Christmas - for needy families. The trolli Group encourages members to charity events book for free or reduced price if they will pay concerts.

A few lucky - especially in the richest regions of the country - report booming business.

Doug Peters of Davie, Florida, said he has a good few years. last year, a rich client on the southern Panhandle of Florida exclusive Fisher Island asked him to work on Christmas Eve. Peters charged $500 an hour and the client did not blink.

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Yet, be the father is not cheap. A faux-fur decent look dressed cost red jacket, hats, pants and boots of more than $1,000. And who is not even counting a beard authentic research.

Walter j. Wood - also known as Santa Woody - is an area of Phoenix Kris Kringle, which looks like something an announcement of Coca-Cola vacation. The $100 an hour it charge "really not reimburse fees," he said, especially when you consider gas, travel time and costs of various elements such as beard glue.

"I stick my beard-no one else did," said Wood, whose other jobs as a painting contractor also had no great success this year. "" "" I can eat a cookie in the face of a child and the kid know. ?

Steve Robinson, an old father of 47 years in St. Petersburg, Florida, whose main job is as grocery, Baker has a suspicion about why he had less than bookings this year.

"The children learn more youth and more young father is real and that Mama and Papa buy gifts," he sighed. "I can quite amount of light a place as long as children are 10 and under."

? 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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