How to call Santa Claus

There is no official Santa phone number, but you can call Santa Claus live on video, in your browser. Free hotlines play a recorded greeting and take a voicemail. On a live call, ask Santa for the gift you want, and he answers out loud. Kids call with a grown-up, and grown-ups call for themselves, at $1 a minute.

Updated by the Frugal Santa elves

Plan your call with Santa

Pick who's calling and the kind of call. The elves suggest five things to say or ask, and how many minutes to get.

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Who's calling Santa?
How many people will talk?
What kind of call?

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Your child's call with Santa

Wishes · My child

Open with Hi Santa! It's me!

  1. The number one thing on my list is ___.
  2. Can I have it in ___? That's my favorite color.
  3. I also wished for ___, if there's room in the sleigh.
  4. Can the elves make something for my ___ too?
  5. How do the elves know what size I am?

Elf tip: Say each wish slowly, with the color or size, so the wish list after the call has the right one.

5 minutes$5

Suggested minutes One good call. Room for a big wish and a few questions.

Start the call

Pick any number of minutes. $1 a minute, no subscription.

Does Santa have a phone number?

No. Santa Claus has no official phone number. The "Santa phone numbers" passed around each December are free hotlines, often run by companies, and they come and go. Most play a recorded greeting and let you leave a message, so nobody answers live.

The most famous Santa line began by accident. The story goes that in 1955 a Sears ad in a Colorado Springs newspaper gave children a number for calling Santa, and a child's call reached the Continental Air Defense Command instead. Nobody is sure whether the ad had a misprint or the number was misdialed. Colonel Harry Shoup played along, and on Christmas Eve his command told the press it was tracking Santa's sleigh. That tradition became NORAD Tracks Santa. On Christmas Eve 2025, more than 1,000 volunteers took calls about where Santa was flying, not about what was on anyone's list.

Here there's no number to dial. You call Santa by video in your browser, and he hears you and answers out loud.

A grandmother, a young woman, a small boy and his dad on the sofa by the Christmas tree, smiling at a laptop during a call
A family call by the fire, everyone around one laptop.

What are the ways to call Santa?

There are five common ways to reach Santa. A free Santa hotline plays a recorded greeting and takes a voicemail with your wishes, day or night. A personalized Santa video is made ahead of time with your child's name and photos, ready in minutes to watch and share. A letter goes by mail: in the US to Santa Claus, 123 Elf Road, North Pole 88888, postmarked by December 5, 2026, and in Canada to Santa at H0H 0H0, mailed by December 9. A booked video visit puts a Santa performer on a video app at a time you reserve, usually for 8 to 12 minutes. A live video call like the one here lets you talk with Santa, an AI video character, whenever you're ready, with no booking. Hotlines, videos and letters can't answer back in the moment. The last two are live, so Santa hears your question and replies to it.

1Free Santa hotlines

Search "Santa phone number" in December and free numbers turn up everywhere. They play a recorded greeting from Santa, then let you leave a voicemail with your wishes, and some text you a link to your own message afterward. They run day and night and cost nothing beyond normal phone rates, which makes them a fine first thrill for a toddler. Nobody answers live, so a question gets no reply.

2Personalized Santa videos

These are filmed ahead of time. You type in your child's name, add photos and a few details, and the video weaves them in, ready in minutes or scheduled for a set time. Some start with a free trial video and charge for longer, premium ones. They make a lovely keepsake to watch again, but Santa can't hear a reply.

3Letters to Santa

In the US, letters to Santa Claus, 123 Elf Road, North Pole 88888 go to the Postal Service's Operation Santa, which has handled Santa mail since 1912. For 2026 they must be postmarked by December 5, and volunteers adopt letters to answer, though not every letter gets picked. Canada Post answers letters sent to Santa Claus, North Pole, H0H 0H0, Canada; mail yours with your return address by December 9, 2026, and no stamp is needed inside Canada. Write your letter to Santa here first.

4Booked calls with a Santa performer

A person in a Santa suit joins you on a video app at a time you book, often days ahead. The 2026 listings we checked run about 8 to 12 minutes for a family call, starting from about $30 to $95. It's a real person, which some families want, and you plan the evening around the slot.

5A live Santa video call here

Santa is an AI video character. He answers on video in your browser, hears you through the microphone and answers out loud, live, with no booking and no app. Kids call with a grown-up beside them, and grown-ups call for themselves. It costs $1 a minute, for as many minutes as you like, and every wish he hears comes back as a list with store prices. Start a live call with Santa.

Elves sort piles of letters and mail sacks in the North Pole post office, one elf climbing a ladder to the shelves
The North Pole post office in December: letters are slow, but they last.

What is the best way to talk to Santa?

The best way to talk to Santa depends on what you want from the call. For a quick thrill that costs nothing, a free Santa hotline plays his recorded greeting and takes your voicemail, though nobody answers live. For a keepsake to watch again, a recorded Santa video works in your child's name and photo. Many are free to try, and a single premium video runs about $4 to $12. For a real person in a Santa suit, a booked video visit lasts about 8 to 12 minutes and costs about $30 to $95 in 2026 listings, at the time you reserve. For a back-and-forth with no booking, an AI video call lets you talk to Santa and hear him answer out loud, live. Here that costs $1 a minute. We checked every price on October 16, 2026, and prices change during the season.

A dad and a small boy in striped pajamas smile at a glowing phone on a red sofa by the Christmas tree and the fire, while a dog naps on the rug
Pajamas on, cookies out, a call to the North Pole.
Ways to talk to Santa compared: what you get, whether Santa answers live, booking and typical cost
Kind of callWhat you getDoes Santa answer live?BookingTypical cost
Free Santa hotline or voicemail lineA recorded greeting from Santa, then you leave a message with your wishes. Some lines text you a link to replay your message.NoNone. Call any time; some lines run all year.Free; normal phone rates apply
Recorded Santa video or appA video made ahead, with your child's name and photo worked in, to watch again and share.NoNone. Ready in minutes, or set for a date.Free to try; one premium video about $4 to $12; passes for more videos about $20 to $35
Live video visit with a Santa performerA person playing Santa on a video app, chatting live with your family for about 8 to 12 minutes.YesBook a time slot ahead; some need 48 hours' notice.About $30 to $95 a visit
AI video call, like this one This siteSanta is an AI video character who hears you and answers out loud, live, for as many minutes as you buy. Wishes come back as a list with store prices.YesNone. Call whenever you're ready.Varies by site. Here: $1 a minute, from 5 minutes

Prices come from each provider's own page or app store listing, checked October 16, 2026. Check again before you buy. Want a letter instead? Write a letter to Santa.

How does a live video call with Santa work?

A live video call with Santa works in the web browser on a phone, tablet or computer, with no app to install. First, a grown-up, 18 or older, buys minutes at $1 a minute, any number from 5 up, with no subscription. Then open the call, type the first name Santa should use, and allow the microphone when the browser asks. Santa needs to hear you, not see you, so no camera is used. He answers on video by his fireplace and says hello. From there you just talk: no button to hold, nothing to type. Start with the gift you want, then ask about the reindeer, tell a joke or share your news. Santa is an AI video character. He listens, answers out loud in a few short sentences, and asks you something back. When you hang up, every wish he heard comes back as a list with store prices, lowest first.

  1. Get minutes

    A grown-up (18 or older) picks how many minutes, from 5 up. There's no subscription.

  2. Open the call

    Use the browser on a phone, tablet or computer. There's no app to install.

  3. Allow the microphone

    Santa needs to hear you, not see you, so no camera is needed.

  4. Talk with Santa

    He listens and answers out loud, live, on video. Start with the gift you want.

  5. Hang up, get the list

    After the call, your wishes come back as a wish list with real store prices and links.

What should you have ready before you call Santa?

Before you call Santa, have five things ready. First, a phone, tablet or computer with a current web browser and enough charge for the whole call. There's no app to download. Second, a working microphone, switched on and allowed in the browser. Santa needs to hear you but never sees you, because no camera is used. Third, a quiet spot: turn down the TV, hold the device close and let Santa finish talking before you answer. Fourth, your big wishes, with the color, size or exact name, so the list after the call has the right one. If the list is long, write it down first. Fifth, for a child, a grown-up sitting beside them for the whole call. Use first names only, since Santa never asks for a last name, address or school. A shy child can pick two or three questions from the call planner above to read out.

  • A phone, tablet or computer with a current web browser, charged up. There's no app.
  • A quiet spot. Hold the phone close, and let Santa finish talking before you answer.
  • The microphone switched on. Santa needs to hear you; he doesn't need to see you.
  • First names only. Santa doesn't ask for personal details, so keep last names, addresses and schools to yourself.
  • The big wishes, with color and size. If the list is long, write a Christmas wish list first.
  • For a child: a grown-up beside them for the whole call.
A dad, a mom and a small child draw their Christmas wish lists at a candlelit table with toy catalogs and gingerbread stars
Wish lists first, then the call.

What do kids and grown-ups ask Santa?

When you talk to Santa Claus, start with the big one. Ask for the gift you want by name, with the color or size, so the wish list after the call has the right one. Santa asks a follow-up question or two and says the wish back to you. After that, ask him anything. Kids like to ask which reindeer is fastest, what elves eat for breakfast, how he fits down the chimney and whether they're on the Nice List. Grown-ups ask for their own gifts too, get ideas for a dad who has everything or a niece who loves space, or ask how he handles his busiest night of the year. Some families pass the phone so everyone gets one wish. If a little one goes quiet, sit close and offer a question from the list below. Santa keeps his answers short and ends with a question, so there's always a next thing to say.

Kids ask

  • Can I have a ___ for Christmas? The red one!
  • Which reindeer is the fastest?
  • What do elves eat for breakfast?
  • How do the reindeer fly so fast?
  • How do you fit down the chimney?
  • Am I on the Nice List?
  • What is Mrs. Claus baking today?

Grown-ups ask

  • I'd love a ___ this year. Can you put it on my list?
  • What should I get my dad, who has everything?
  • Any gift ideas for a ten-year-old who loves space?
  • How do you handle the Christmas Eve rush?
  • Can you say hi to my mom? She's right here.
  • What was your favorite Christmas Eve ever?
  • What's the best part of being Santa?

Wondering about the Nice List before the call? Check the Naughty or Nice List with the elves.

How long is a call with Santa, and what does it cost?

A call with Santa costs $1 a minute. A grown-up picks how many minutes to buy, any whole number from 5 to 500, and pays for them, so you decide how long the call can run. There is no free trial and no subscription. Free minutes can only be earned: when a friend buys for the first time from your share link, you get 5 free minutes and your friend gets 5. Joining Santa's email list adds 2 free minutes, once.

How long should it be? Booked video visits with a Santa performer run about 8 to 12 minutes for a family, which makes a handy yardstick. One child with one big wish may need only a few minutes. A family passing the phone around the room will want more, so everyone gets a turn. The call planner above suggests a number of minutes for whoever is calling, and the quick picks below are a starting point.

Or pick any number of minutes, from 5 to 500.

What happens after you talk to Santa?

When you hang up, the wishes from the call come back as your wish list, with real store prices. For each gift you see the stores that sell it, the price at each one, lowest first, and a link to buy it there. You pay only for the minutes with Santa, and you choose where to shop, so the list doubles as a price check for the grown-ups.

Santa never promises that a gift will come, so the list is a guide, not a promise. Read it together while the call is fresh, or keep it for later as a surprise plan. If the grown-up ticked "Save a video of this call," the video stays private until they share an unlisted link. They can delete it any time, and it is deleted after a year. Kids can keep adding ideas whenever they like with the free Christmas wish list maker.

An old elf with a quill writes on a long paper scroll at a carved desk while two young elves hold up the end of the list
The elves turn every wish into a list.

Is calling Santa safe for kids?

Calling Santa here is set up for families, with a grown-up in charge from start to finish. Every account belongs to an adult, 18 or older, who buys the minutes and starts each call, and a child calls with that grown-up beside them. Santa follows child-safety rules on every call. He doesn't ask for personal details such as a last name, address or school. He never promises that a gift will come. He keeps every conversation kind and right for the age of whoever is talking. No camera is used, so Santa hears you but never sees you. A video of the call is saved only if the grown-up ticks the box, and it stays private until they choose to share it. Santa is an AI video character, not a person in a suit, and he does not remember past calls. Each call starts fresh.

  • A grown-up runs the accountEvery account belongs to a grown-up, 18 or older, who pays for the minutes. Kids call with a grown-up beside them.
  • No personal detailsSanta follows child-safety rules: he doesn't ask for personal details like a last name, address or school.
  • No promises he can't keepSanta listens to every wish, but he never promises that a gift will come.
  • Kind and age-appropriateSanta keeps every call kind and right for the age of whoever is talking.
  • Videos only with your OKA video of the call is saved only if the grown-up ticks the box. Afterward you get the wish list, plus the video if you chose it.
  • Honest about who Santa isThis Santa is an AI video character who talks in real time, not a person in a suit. You decide how to talk about that with your child. How the AI Santa works.

More questions about calling Santa

Is there a free way to call Santa?

Yes. Free Santa hotlines play a recorded greeting and take a voicemail, and on Christmas Eve, NORAD Tracks Santa volunteers traditionally answer calls about where Santa is flying. A live two-way video call here costs $1 a minute. There's no free trial, but you can earn free minutes by sharing your link.

Can my child get a phone call from Santa?

Not from this Santa: he doesn't ring phones. You start the live video call yourself in the browser, when everyone is ready. Some apps ring a phone at a time you pick with a personalized call from Santa, but it was recorded ahead, so he can't answer back.

Can you talk to Santa Claus live?

Yes. A booked call puts you on video with a person in a Santa suit at a set time. Here, Santa is an AI video character who listens and answers out loud whenever you're ready. Recorded hotlines, videos and letters can't talk back.

Does Santa need to see us?

No. Santa hears you through the microphone. No camera is needed, and there's no app to install.

Can we call Santa on Christmas Eve?

Yes. There's nothing to book, so you can call whenever you have minutes. Christmas Eve 2026 is Thursday, December 24.

What if my child is shy?

Sit beside them and say hello first. Pick two or three questions from the call planner so they have something ready. Short answers are fine.

Can grown-ups call Santa without kids?

Yes. Santa talks with grown-ups too: ask for your own gift, get ideas for the people on your list, or just say thank you. Pick "Me" in the call planner for things to say.

How many days until Christmas?

Christmas 2026 is Friday, December 25. The Christmas countdown shows the days, hours and sleeps left in your time zone.

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