Father Christmas - Hobbledown Epsom

Mary Rush Care Ltd; Epsom; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 24,000; Full time

Job summary

The Escapade Group is seeking a warm, reliable Father Christmas to bring magical moments to families at our grotto in Epsom. You will stay in character, chat with children, listen to wish lists and take part in photo opportunities.

Availability for open days and Christmas season weekends is essential, with energy to manage diverse questions and keep the magic alive for every family.

Qualifications

• 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.

Responsibilities

• Welcoming children and families into the grotto.
• Chatting warmly with every child.
• Listening carefully to wish lists.
• Staying in character throughout sessions.
• Participating in photo opportunities and walkabout moments.

Skills

People skills

In character

Improvise confidently

Reliability

Job description

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.

Key dates

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.

So, what will you actually be doing?

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

Experience helps, but Christmas spirit counts for a lot

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.

Things will not always go to plan

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 been dealing with North Pole logistics for several hundred years.

That’s all part of the job.

What does a brilliant day look like?

A shy child leaves smiling.

A confident child leaves convinced you remembered them from last year.

Parents get the photo they were hoping for.

The elves and hosts keep everything moving seamlessly.

And every family walks away feeling like, for a few minutes, Father Christmas was there just for them.

Behind the scenes, there may be timings, queues, radios and a very busy team making everything happen.

But none of that should reach the grotto.

Inside, it should simply feel magical.

About The Escapade Group

We’re The Escapade Group, a growing family of visitor attractions built around play, adventure, animals and brilliant family days out.

Our attractions include Hobbledown Epsom, Hobbledown Heath, Gripped London, Kidspace Croydon, Kidspace Romford, Watermouth Castle and Farmer Ted’s Adventure Farm.

Across the group you’ll find everything from adventure play and animal encounters to high ropes, indoor play, birthday parties, seasonal events and plenty of organised chaos.

Different attractions. Different experiences. One thing in common: brilliant teams creating memorable days out for families.

And whether someone is serving lunch, caring for animals, running an attraction, welcoming guests through the gates or taking on the rather important job of being Father Christmas, every member of the team plays a part in making those experiences special.

Screening Questions

• Can you work weekends and the dates specified in the advert?
• Will your commute be 30 minutes or less?