Ah, Christmas. It happens every year. Same date and everything. And yet it always sneaks up on us. This year, though, we’re planning ahead. We vow never again to say “Sorry, I couldn’t afford to buy any Christmas presents this year. I’ve spent all my money on beer. If it makes you feel any better, I really enjoyed drinking it.”Nope, whether it takes dressing up as the Big Man himself, playing ‘All I want for Christmas is You’ until we want to track Mariah Carey down and strangle her with tinsel, or rustling up enough turkey and cranberry sandwiches to feed all of Santa’s elves, we will be earning extra Christmas cash this year.
Christmas bar and kitchen staff
As London gears up for its busiest drinking month of the year – with extra ambulances at the ready when office parties go wrong – so too, do the most festive bars and restaurants. VIP catering companies such as At Your Service (ays.co.uk) and Espirit (espiritgroup.com) provide bar and waiting staff for some of the most exclusive parties in the city. Hours are flexible, meaning that work needn’t interfere with your own plans, plus the perks abound – think massive trays of sausage rolls and smoked salmon canapes that are all yours if they don’t get eaten. If you’re an experienced chef looking for a little extra work to keep you ticking over during the festive months, try Claire’s Chefs (claireschefs.com), a new agency looking to get skilled chefs on its books to hire out for events and parties, particularly over the busy Christmas period.
Santa and his Little Helpers
With beards and bellies provided (if you need them, that is), how could you not consider moonlighting as Lapland’s finest resident for the Christmas season? Magenta Star provides Santa’s grottos for shopping centres across London and the UK, and the recruiters ensure that the going rate for Father Christmas is “competitive” (magentastar.co.uk). If short, rather than wide, is your thing, then look no further than the world’s largest (and arguably greatest) toy store. Hamley’s flagship shop on Regent Street will soon be recruiting Christmas elves to join its team over the busy season. Applicants must have a cheery demeanor, look good in green, and know how to steer a reindeer. To find out more, email the Hamley’s Toy Shop team at jointhemagic@hamleys.co.uk.
Christmas tree vendors
Tree hauling is a man’s job. And nowhere is that more apparent than at Pines and Needles Christmas tree suppliers, where vendors must be comfortable enough with their brawn to wear a traditional Scottish kilt – a skirt worn by both sexes. The reason? All trees sold at Pines and Needles are freshly cut from the Scottish Highlands. Worried your bare, knobbly legs will buckle in the cold? Fear not. A strong dose of heavy lifting and Christmas cheer will be sure to warm the cockles at this most festive of jobs. Email siterecruitment@pinesandneedles.com. If you’ve got a more feminine flair, the team are also looking for Christmas tree decorators. You must have a clean driver’s licence as you need to drive to the clients’ homes across London to spruce their bush with baubles. Email recruitment@pinesandneedles.com.Christmas Forest, which has stalls all over London, will also be recruiting tree haulers through the months of November and December. To find out more from them, email info@christmasforest.co.uk.
Office party DJs
DJing from decks placed atop the managing director’s desk in a stuffy office block may not be what you envisioned for your first gig, but we’ve all got to start somewhere – and with Christmas tunes spinning on the decks, what’s not to like? Companies such as DJ London (dj-london.co.uk) and Function Central (functioncentral.co.uk) are on the lookout for talented DJs who can help them keep up with demand as the Christmas party season approaches. Gumtree is also a thriving hotbed of jobs for musical aficionados who need to earn some extra cash this year; search DJing jobs, and you’ll be faced with everything from Christmas cheese requests to positions for those who are willing to break out some grimier beats during the season of goodwill.
