Santa Hotline Open for Business

Getting a call through to the North Pole isn’t exactly easy, especially this time of year when Santa’s phone rings off the hook with holiday requests from children all over the world.

That’s why the men and women of north Florida’s Eglin Air Force Base’s 96th Communications Squadron have officially opened their Santa Hotline for business. Between now and Dec. 13, the soldiers plan to help facilitate calls from children all over the world to the Jolly Ole Elf himself, according to the Florida base’s website.

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The hotline is staffed by more than 60 volunteers who donate three hours at a time to help connect the calls, WEAR reported.

The effort is undertaken to spread a little Christmas joy.

“These are people banding together, putting themselves out there and giving their time, to allow kids to have a Merry Christmas,” the station quoted volunteers as saying. “It’s something they’re not going to get from a store or waiting in line for 45 minutes for a mall Santa. This is something that they can really experience, and really be real to them.”

The hotline is open from 5 to 8 p.m. eastern daily through Dec. 13. Children can call 1-850-882-NOEL to connect with Santa. Calls, volunteers report, actually do come in from all over the world.

Air Force photo/ Samuel King Jr.