This image was lost some time after publication.

For the brave souls who earn a living dressing up as Santa, this should be the beginning of the busiest time of the year. That isn't the case this year, unfortunately. The Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas, a group that represents 700 red-suited men, reports that bookings have fallen off a cliff in recent weeks as department stores and civic groups cut back on their holiday budgets. [WSJ]