It all started as an accident. According to thousands of kids across the nation, Santa’s number is 1-800-SANTACLAUS. But occasionally, they misdial. This is all for the better; dialing 1-800-SANTACLAUS (1-800-726-8225) connects you to nobody. But the accidental dial (1-800-726-8222) is where John Dickson enters the picture.
Throughout the holiday season, Dickson’s office phone (1-800-SANTABARBARA) rings not with calls from potential clients- tourists planning trips to Santa Barbara – but with thousands of children hoping to speak with Santa Claus.
It all started one day in early December of 2006. Dickson got a call at his santabarbara.com office from “a little boy who wanted a blue truck, a pony, and a spider.” Confused, Dickson played along. “He actually thought he was talking to Santa!” Dickson exclaimed. “Then another call came in about 15 or 20 minutes later. It was a little girl.” After a bit of investigation, Dickson understood the misdialing that was going on. For the next two weeks, he answered Santa calls at a rate of about one every 10 to 15 minutes.