With budgets tightening, it’ll be hard for many companies to promote holiday cheer. But it turns out even this childhood icon isn’t immune to recession.

Bookings for Santa Claus have dropped so steeply leading up to the holiday season that the Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas, representing over 700 Santas, had a series of meetings to discuss their economic survival.

Communities and businesses want to keep the same level of cheer as in years past, but many simply can’t afford the cost of bringing in the jolly red man. The Order’s tips:

• If customers can’t afford an hour-long visit by Santa (at $125 an hour), offer a “quickie drop-in” for cheaper, and
• Suggest alternatives, like Santa reading a story to the group, instead of every child sitting on his lap.

Even entire cities have to cut back. For example, Gatlinburg, TN, will have a smaller parade this year. Even though the city installed energy-efficient bulbs in its holiday displays that cut the electric bill by 95%, more reductions still need to be made.

First on the hit list: Rocky and Bullwinkle balloons, which cost nearly $1,000 a piece just to fill with helium.

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Tags: Holiday, Parada, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Santa