Christmas in Germany could be less delightful as many regions are suffering a severe shortage of Santas, according to recruitment agencies.
据招聘中介透露，德国许多地区正面临严重的圣诞老人短缺，恐将减弱圣诞节的欢乐氛围。
The Berlin Santa Claus Office, which typically receives about 2,500 bookings per year, now has fewer than 200 Santas on its books, down from 500, one of the agency's employees, Petra Henkert, told German local media Der Tagesspiegel.
柏林圣诞老人办公室通常每年能收到约2500个订单，但其员工佩特拉·赫克特近日向德国媒体《每日镜报》表示，如今该机构名册上的圣诞老人已从500名减少至不足200名。
"We are suffering a Santa drought," Henkert said.
赫克特表示：“我们正在闹圣诞老人荒。”

A student services organization in Berlin has already stopped its recruitment of Santas due to lack of candidates, it said in a statement released on the internet.
柏林一家学生服务组织在网上发布声明称，由于缺少应聘者，已停止招聘圣诞老人。
Santas in Germany are often hired by families to recite festive poems, stories and songs. The role has traditionally been considered a nice source of income for students.
在德国，家庭通常会雇佣圣诞老人背诵节日诗歌、讲故事或唱歌。这一角色传统上被认为是学生们不错的收入来源。
An elite Santa could usually earn 100 euros per visit and up to 500 euros per day.
一名优秀的圣诞老人单次出场费通常达100欧元，一天最多能挣500欧元。
The shortage, "particularly severe in eastern German states such as Saxony and Brandenburg, has been caused by long hours of study, the busy lives of modern students and a decline in the Christian faith," according to Britain's The Times.
英国《泰晤士报》称，圣诞老人荒是由长时间的学习、当代学生繁忙的生活以及基督教信仰衰落造成的，圣诞老人荒现象在萨克森州、勃兰登堡州等德国东部州尤其严重。