A call from Santa for your child: how it works (a guide for parents)

Picture a December evening. Your child taps a button, hears a ring, and a warm voice says: "Ho ho ho! This is Santa Claus!" and then says their name. That is a call from Santa at SantaPicksUp.com: a live conversation in English that you set up as a parent. Below you will find everything you need to know: how it works, what it costs and what you can count on.

What a call from Santa is (and what it isn't)

It is a voice conversation, like a phone call, that happens right in your browser on a phone, tablet or computer. There is no app to install. Santa greets your child by name and talks about the things you told us: what they learned this year, who they play with, what they love. Your child answers, and Santa listens and reacts to what they say.

What Santa doesn't do:

• He doesn't promise specific gifts. The elves are preparing a surprise; what ends up under the tree stays between you and your child.
• He doesn't ask for personal information or say scary things. No addresses, no threats, no awkward questions.
• It isn't a video call. Just a voice, like a real phone call. Your child's imagination does the rest.

How it works, step by step

1. Order. Choose how many children will talk to Santa (up to 5) and pay by card. It takes about a minute.
2. Tell us about your children. You sign in to your account with a one-time code sent to your email, then fill in each child's name, age and a few details: a friend, a pet, something new they learned.
3. Call when your child is ready. In your account, tap "Call Santa" and he picks up, or tap "Have Santa call" and the phone rings right in your browser. The call fills the whole screen, like a real phone call. Your browser will ask for permission to use the microphone.
4. Santa talks for as long as the minutes last. About 20 seconds before the end, he starts saying goodbye, so the call never cuts off abruptly.
5. After the call you will find the summary, the transcript and the recording in your account. You can download the recording and send it to the grandparents.
6. Your child can call back. Until Christmas Eve, using the minutes that are left. Santa recognizes your child and remembers what you talked about last time.

There is also a phone number: in your account you can add the phones your child may call from, and then your child can dial Santa's number from a real phone. Anyone else who calls that number hears one of Santa's elves instead.

How much it costs

Each child adds $5 and 5 minutes of conversation:

• More minutes: you can add minutes any time from your account, at $2 per minute, until Christmas Eve.
• Classes, groups and parties: for more than 5 children, we make a separate offer. Ask for an offer.

What parents should know

• Transparency: Santa is created with artificial intelligence, and we tell you so from the start. Your child is not "told" during the call; what you say about Santa is your decision.
• Your data: we keep only what the call needs (your child's name, age and the details you choose to share) and we delete it on December 31. You can download the recordings before then. Details in our privacy policy.
• Your money: as long as Santa hasn't called yet, you can cancel and get a full refund. The full conditions are in our terms.
• Length: each conversation has a fixed limit, set by the minutes you have, so it never runs past what you paid for.

How to make the call go well

1. Give concrete details. "He plays with his friend Noah" or "she learned to ride a bike" make the conversation much warmer than "likes toys".
2. Pick a calm moment. A rested child after dinner is chattier than a sleepy or overexcited one.
3. Stay close. Turn the volume up and help if your child gets stuck. Some children are shy at first.
4. Don't force it. If your child doesn't feel like talking, that's fine. They can just listen, or you can try again the next day.
5. Listen to the recording together. Children love hearing themselves and remembering what Santa told them.

What age is it for?

It works best for children who can hold a simple conversation, usually from about three or four years old. You know your child best: if they are little or shy, sit with them and help with a line or two. For older kids, the call can simply be a fun game they play along with, even if they have started to wonder about the story.

Try it for free first

On our homepage you can talk to Santa yourself for 90 seconds, for free, before you order. It is a one-time try per device, and it is the easiest way to hear the voice and decide if it's right for your family.

If you are planning other Christmas surprises, have a look at our letter to Santa template and ideas by age.