Due to overwhelming demand, Santa Claus is coming to town again this year to talk live with kids on Norwood Public Access Television.
"Norwood Digest" host Jack McCarthy said he received confirmation from Santa last week when he attended the annual Friends of St. Nick luncheon to benefit Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Santa will again be making an appearance on NPA's "Norwood Digest" show, Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. and kids can call in live to talk with Santa and drop any last-minute gift hints to the man in red.
McCarthy will once again be sitting down with Santa and sipping hot cocoa in front of the fireplace during the one-hour show that has become a holiday tradition.
Norwood Public Access held the first "Live Santa" chat last year and decided it had to do it again.
"We must have had 40 or 50 kids talk to Santa last year," said NPA station and public affairs coordinator Karen Murphy. "It was so popular, Santa asked us if we could come back again this year."
"We had so much fun doing that last year," said McCarthy.
Parents are invited to call the studio starting at 7 p.m. Murphy said the station has only one line (781-551-0338), so callers will not be put on hold or be placed in a queue. The trick, said Murphy, is to time the call correctly.
Due to a short delay, Murphy is also advising the kids talk to Santa away from the television to avoid becoming confused.
"We're hoping to go a little faster this year because our goal is to get as many kids as we can a chance to talk with Santa," said Murphy.
As a new twist this year, Murphy said parents who wish to videotape their children as they talk to Santa can drop the tape off at the NPA station at the high school. Murphy said she will then insert the tapes into the rebroadcast version of the show that will air throughout January.
"This is something that could really be great," said McCarthy, who added that parents without video equipment can submit still photos as well.
The live call-in show is a continuation of a "Norwood Digest" episode three years ago that showed McCarthy searching all over town for Santa.
Despite help from the police and the animal control officer, McCarthy's efforts to find Santa were fruitless.
Murphy said the show elicited so many responses from viewers that last year it was decided to invite Santa to town for a fireside chat.
"Norwood Digest" and "Santa Live" can be seen on Norwood Light Broadband channel 23 and Comcast channel 8.
Daily News staff writer Brian Falla can be reached at 781-433-8339 or at bfalla@cnc.com
