Father Christmas - Hobbledown

Horton Lane, Epsom, KT19 8PT
, UNITED KINGDOM

We’re looking for a brilliant Father Christmas to be at the heart of Santa’s Secret Village.

This isn’t just about putting on the suit.

For many of our guests, meeting Father Christmas is the moment they’ve been waiting for all year.

Some children will run in full of confidence.

Some will be shy.

Some will have a very detailed wish list.

And some will ask questions that absolutely nobody has prepared you for.

Your job is to make every single family feel like their visit matters.

Because to them, it really does.

You’ll need to be available for the following:

Recruitment Open Days
Tuesday 3 November, 5pm–8pm
Saturday 7 November, 10am–5pm

Training
Weekend of 14–15 November

PR Activity
Weekend of 21–22 November

Open to the Public
28–29 November onwards

You’ll also need good availability across weekends in the run-up to Christmas and throughout the Christmas holidays, including Christmas Eve.

As you can probably imagine, December is quite a busy month for Father Christmas.

Mostly, creating moments families remember.

You’ll meet hundreds of children and their families throughout the festive season, both in the grotto and around the wider experience.

You’ll be:

Welcoming children and families into the grotto

Chatting naturally and warmly with every child

Listening carefully to wish lists — however long they may be

Making each interaction feel personal rather than rehearsed

Staying completely in character throughout every session

Taking part in photo opportunities and walkabout moments

Improvising when children ask unexpected questions

Working closely with our elves and Christmas Hosts so every handover feels seamless

Helping nervous or shy children feel comfortable

Adapting your approach to different ages, personalities and needs

Taking pride in your costume, presentation and character

Keeping the same warmth and energy for the final family of the day as you had for the first

You don’t need to have spent years playing Santa.

What matters most is presence.

You’re naturally warm.

You make people feel comfortable.

You can hold a conversation with a child without it feeling scripted.

And you understand that sometimes the smallest interaction can become a really big memory.

We’re looking for someone who:

Has a natural rapport with children and families

Is warm, patient and approachable

Can improvise confidently while staying in character

Has strong people skills and emotional awareness

Is comfortable adapting to children with different confidence levels

Can sustain a character across repeated sessions

Is reliable and punctual

Has the stamina to spend long periods in costume

Works brilliantly with the wider cast and host team

Understands the importance of keeping the magic alive at all times

Previous experience in acting, pantomime, immersive theatre, role-play, children’s entertainment or character performance would be great.

Experience working with children and families would also translate really well.

And if you’ve played Father Christmas before, even better.

But we’re not looking for the longest acting CV.

We’re looking for someone who can walk into a room and instantly feel like Father Christmas.

Someone children trust.

Someone parents enjoy talking to.

And someone who understands that this role is as much about listening as performing.

Children are wonderfully unpredictable.

You may be asked why Rudolph isn’t with you.

Whether you know their teacher.

Why their sibling got a different present last year.

Or how you managed to get into their house when they don’t have a chimney.

You’ll need to think quickly.

Stay completely in character.

And somehow make the answer sound like you’ve…