The History of Calling Santa, Letters to Video

Before phones: letters and chimneys

For generations, the main way to reach Santa was a letter. Children wrote wish lists, sometimes sealed them in an envelope, and left them by the fireplace or on a windowsill. In many families the letter was "delivered" by burning it in the fireplace so the smoke could carry it north. Other families mailed them.

Many countries have since set up official-feeling addresses where children can send letters, and the idea that Santa reads his mail is now a familiar part of the season. A letter is quiet and private. It asks a child to think about what they want and to put it into words, which is a skill worth practicing.

The limit of a letter is that it only goes one way. Children write, then wait. There is no moment where Santa looks at them and says their name.

The department store Santa

Around the late 1800s, stores in the United States and elsewhere began hiring men in red suits to sit in the toy department. Historians generally point to this era as when the "visit Santa at the store" tradition took hold, though exact first dates are debated and we will not guess.

What mattered about the store Santa was the lap. For the first time, a child could see Santa, sit near him and say a wish out loud. It also brought the line, the noise, the mall lights and the occasional tearful toddler photo that families still laugh about.

The in-person visit is wonderful for many children. It can also be overwhelming, with long waits and a short turn. That is part of why a calmer, private conversation appeals to some families. Our guide to a Santa call for kids who are scared of Santa covers that situation.

The telephone enters the story

Once phones were in most homes, it was only a matter of time before children wanted to call the North Pole. The best-known story is from 1955. A department store advertisement invited children to call Santa, but the phone number printed in the ad was reportedly wrong, and calls ended up at a military air defense office in Colorado.

According to the widely told account, the officer on duty chose to play along, checking on Santa's position for the children who called. That goodwill is generally credited as the origin of the annual Santa tracking tradition that families still follow on Christmas Eve. Details vary a little depending on who tells it, but the heart of the story is well documented: a mistake, a kind person and a tradition that stuck.

It is a good reminder that the best Santa moments often come from adults who say yes to a child's wonder.

Hotlines, recordings and the answering machine era

In the decades that followed, many organizations set up Santa phone lines. Some were live volunteers. Many were recordings that played a cheerful message when a child dialed in. Families also used answering machines and later voicemail to leave a message "from Santa" that children found in the morning.

These had real charm, and the recorded format is still around today in the form of the personalized Santa video message. A short, personal message is a lovely keepsake and a great option when a live time does not fit your schedule. We compare the two in Santa video call vs pre-recorded Santa video.

The limit of a recording is the same as the letter. It talks at a child, not with them.

Video calls: the part that feels new

Video calling became an everyday habit for families over the past several years, and Santa naturally followed. Now a child can sit on the couch, click a link and see Santa react in real time.

What changed is not only the technology. A live call lets Santa notice the stuffed animal on a lap, repeat a sibling's name or laugh at an unexpected answer. That back-and-forth is what the lap visit and the hotline were always reaching for.

On Live Santa Call, the call is 10 minutes, one-on-one and on Google Meet, with a real-beard Santa in a velvet suit. You can read the practical side in how Santa calls work, and the human side on our real Santa, not AI page.

What each era got right

Looking across the history, each tool offers something different.

None of these replaces the others. Plenty of families write a letter, watch a message on Christmas morning and book one live call.

Starting your own tradition

Because Santa traditions are mostly family inventions, you can build your own version. A few ideas that borrow from the past:

When you are ready to plan a call, see how it works and pricing.