RATHDRUM — Waiting by the phone, clad in matching pajamas with little Santa hats, Ella and Elissa Weaver tried to be patient until the North Pole switchboard connected Santa to their mom’s cellphone via the Rathdrum Parks and Recreation department. 

Tausha Winn, the girls' mom, talked with fifth grader Ella and second grader Elissa about what they wanted for Christmas as they waited for Santa to be patched through.

Cora Carman, Rathdrum Parks and Recreation supervisor, said that through a special connection to the North Pole the city has been able to get some of Santa’s time every year since 2015 to make sure families who weren’t otherwise able to meet Santa in person can tell him what they want before Christmas. This year, the big night for families to get their call from Santa and his helpers was Dec. 7.

Santa and Santa’s helpers were in high demand this year. In addition to local calls, people from nearby Washington and beyond made it on Santa’s call list, too.

“We love seeing the community happy and it’s not just the community, although we get a lot of people from Rathdrum, but this year, we also have someone from Kentucky and Libby, Mont. We looked around the area and other cities and not many others are really doing what we do,” Carman said.

The switchboard at Rathdrum City Hall was set up once again to have a direct line to Santa’s workshop, with holiday music and volunteers patching Santa, Mrs. Claus and the elves to homes around the area and beyond.

“We’re excited to see so many calls even if it’s bigger than anticipated. I know next year, if we continue to see the large numbers, we’ll add a second day because it seems like the community and people outside the community really like that. We like the excitement and it’s so nice to hear,” Carman said.

It was Carman’s first time coordinating Santa’s switchboard, but she’s been involved in past Santa hotlines and loves hearing the excitement from the kids as they wait to speak directly to the big man in red himself.

At their home in Rathdrum, Ella said she wanted a new laptop for Christmas to help with school and Elissa said she hoped for more squishmallows. 

Finally, after frantically helping their mom check the phone for calls and counting down the time, the booming voice of Santa greeted them.

“Elissa and Ella, this is Santa calling from the North Pole,“ Santa Claus said. 

The girls were both beaming in wonder as they introduced themselves and said what they wanted to see under the family tree on Christmas.

Santa knew Elissa had played soccer this year, and said the festive team from Santa’s workshop were working hard to get Ella and Elissa something extra this year.

All in all, about 101 households and 140 kids got to share their Christmas wishes with the merrymakers at the North Pole - all through the switchboard at Rathdrum City Hall. 

“It brightens up the holiday season a little," Carman said. "Some kids can’t see Santa at Cabela’s or at the mall, so we get to fill that spot and they get to talk directly to Santa or one of his helpers or Mrs. Claus."

    Ella Weaver and Elissa Weaver, and Tausha Winn and Matthew Hunter all wore matching pajamas to get into the Christmas spirit as they waited for a call from the North Pole on Dec. 7.