Santa has a Jewish elf, and her name is Miriam Reissner.
Twenty-three-year-old Miss Reissner has spent the past month working as an elf in Santa’s grotto in Brent Cross Shopping Centre, north London.
A former pupil at Immanuel College, Herts, she admits the job was not one she foresaw herself doing. An aspiring newspaper journalist, she tells People: “My mum found the job advertisement online. Most people would have looked at it and laughed, but I thought: ‘Actually, this could be quite fun.’ And it is a good way to fill the time while applying for journalist positions.” She will be working at the grotto until Christmas Eve.
She says: “It’s very interesting being a Jewish elf. Growing up I had never been in a Santa’s grotto but a lot of Jews do visit the grotto — and lots of Israelis.
“I don’t know if they do it just for the free present, although there doesn’t seem to be a religious element.”
Her elf duties? “A lot of multi-tasking; welcoming children to the grotto, taking photos of them with santa, writing down their names, getting them to look at the camera, and amusing people while they are waiting in the queue.
“It’s quite a tough job. When I leave at the end of the day, every bone in my body aches.”
Graduating from Leeds University with an English degree, Miss Reissner received her NCTJ journalism qualification from News Associated in Wimbledon earlier this year.
