For about 25 years, Santa Claus has made personal calls to Tucson children.
Don’t mind if caller ID says the city of Tucson is on the line. That’s just Tucson’s Parks and Recreation Department facilitating the call.
Sometimes the North Pole doesn’t have enough lines available, so the department shares theirs, says Lisa Sommer, a recreation supervisor and the coordinator for the Santa’s Calling program this year.
Parents who want their kids ages 3 to 8 to receive a call from Santa must fill out and mail or drop off an application with a few facts about their child. It must be postmarked or dropped off by Friday, Dec. 4.
Kids will get their call from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8, or Wednesday, Dec. 9. A third night may be added if there are enough requests.
In past years, 300 to 400 children have chatted with Santa over two or three nights. Most children who submit an application by the deadline will receive a call. Otherwise, Santa sends a letter.
It’s a popular program for staff, and Sommer hopes to have 20 to 25 volunteers.
“Sometimes the kids won’t say a word and are just terrified or in awe, and sometimes they won’t stop talking,” Sommer says.
Santa also makes calls in Spanish. Topics of conversation can range from pets to teachers to — of course — gifts. That Santa knows about their lives or speaks Spanish baffles some kids.
“They want to know what it’s like at the North Pole, what Mrs. Claus is doing and what the elves are building,” Sommer says.
It’s not a completely private call. Children are likely to hear elves tinkering nearby or hollering to Santa about an escaped reindeer or a cup of hot chocolate ready for him.
“One little boy from last year, Santa called, and you could hear him in the background going, ‘Mom, is that really Santa Claus?’ ”
