Last year no one was able to go out and see Santa and put in your requests for Christmas.  Now this year there's a new problem.  How can you have a "santa shortage"?  That just seems so wrong on a few levels.

What is the reason for this?  Well, you could blame the labor shortage, and that might be partly true, but the other thing that is happening according to Fortune, is the fact that COVID seems to hit older, out of shape people. Those are also the people who are usually the Mall Santas.

While COVID-19 numbers are off their peaks, older, overweight Americans remain at higher risk. And that’s creating a shortage of Santas as we enter the holiday season.

There is actually a "Santa School" in Denver.  The founder of that school says she usually has a few requests for Santa throughout the year, but this year the requests have been much more increased.

The demand for Santa has been up this year compared to last year, but the pool of Santas to choose from has decreased.  On one hand, it's great that things are starting to get back to normal with the return of the Mall Santa but it's unfortunate that they just aren't as available as they have been in the past.  This situation could also bring some extra jingle to anyone who is available to be the Mall Santa.

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If you are interested in having your family visit the Mall Santa here at Crossroads Mall in St. Cloud, you can check the schedule here.  Plus, Mondays are pet days.  Bring your furry family member in for a picture with Santa.  Crossroads does recommend scheduling your visit to help things run smoother, but it isn't required.

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