A Web visit from St. Nick

If waiting in line to see Santa with dozens of barely potty-trained tots is your idea of a nightmare before Christmas, there’s an alternative. The video chat company Paltalk ( www.paltalk.com) has set up a Santa’s Workshop room where kids with computers and webcams can go to chat with Santa and request BB guns, Barbie dolls and whatever else they want, all from the comfort of their living rooms.

No webcam? No problem. They’ll still be able to see Santa, but he’ll only be able to hear their questions.

“It’s a neat way to share the holiday spirit with kids who might not be able to go down to the mall and sit on Santa’s lap,” said Joel Smernoff, president of New York company Paltalk.

There are about eight Santa’s helpers from around the globe who dress up to staff the Santa room, which often has dozens of kids in it at once, Smernoff said. Up to 5,000 at a time can fit into a chat room, according to Paltalk. And if that sounds like a nightmare to you parents out there, just remember, at least the bathroom is only down the hall.

-- Alana Semuels