Five ways to ... make money this Christmas

Five ways to ... make money this Christmas

You could make up to £200 dressing up as a Christmas character. Santas and elves are in demand from early November to entertain children and adults at parties, department stores, shopping centres and nightclubs. Santas can be any age – young, skateboarding ones can be in demand for corporate events and nightclubs. Elves tend to be young women with experience in entertaining kids. There are ads in The Stage for these jobs already, or you can apply through an agency such as Star Now .

2 Be a seasonal postie

Being a part-time postman can be a great way to earn extra cash, assuming there's no all-out strike. Royal Mail usually takes on about 20,000 staff in November and December to help cope with the increased volume of mail.

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Mail sorters can expect up to £7 per hour, while experienced drivers can make up to £18 an hour. Go to Royalmail.com and click on jobs, then find the Christmas work section.

There is also money to be made delivering catalogues and brochures. Often this can be done in your own time. Check out websites such as Gumtree to find delivery jobs in your area. Do watch out for companies that ask for cash deposits upfront, as they're likely to be scams.

3 Do some shop work

Working in retail is a great way to make a bit on the side at Christmas. A lot of high street stores, particularly department stores, need an extra helping hand to deal with the seasonal rush. Chains such as Marks & Spencer, Next and Debenhams are advertising work for Christmas and New Year. Get an application form instore. You'll be paid higher rates if you work bank holidays, and you're also likely get a staff discount, so you can save on your Christmas spending.

4 Make hampers to sell

The likes of Harrods and Fortnum & Mason do a roaring trade in hampers. Have a look to get an idea of what to put in yours. Making a hamper can cost very little and the goodies inside can be bought in bulk or made at home. Sell (at car boot sales or open markets) at as high a price as you like.

What you put in is up to you. You could have themed hampers (chocolate, or "tea for two", for example), or create hampers from (nicely wrapped) homemade foods. Very effective hampers can be made from a cheap basket and low-priced toiletries from pound shops, if wrapped in cellophane and colourful ribbon.

5 Do bar work

Pubs and bars regularly take on extra staff over holiday periods and particularly at Christmas and New Year. If you're willing to work on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and New Year's Eve, you can expect double the usual hourly rate. Apply now as these jobs tend to go pretty quickly.