Wrong-number Santa cheerfully answers calls

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.

It’s a wrong number, but Dickinson says he doesn’t mind. He just plays along.

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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.

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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.