Thursday, December 21, 2006

News from all over - Goleta

This Santa didn't volunteer -- he was drafted. But he's accepting his lot with good cheer. John Dickinson is getting up to 100 calls every day from kids who think they're calling Santa Claus. Dickinson operates an Internet communications business out of his home in California. He manages Santa Barbara's online visitor guide and answers its toll-free hotline.

Apparently, a lot of kids have been misdialing one digit -- getting Santa Barbara instead of Santa Claus. Dickinson says playing Santa has been fun. He says he always asks who's been naughty and nice. He says he'll continue to take toy requests between business calls until Christmas.