life: “This little girl is talking to Santa Claus — and so may any other girl or boy who telephones Murray Hill 8-2205 in New York between now and Christmas.” LIFE magazine announced this in a 1947 story about some marvelous holiday subterfuge devised by New York’s famed toy store, FAO Schwarz. The gambit involved a phone system whereby children could dial that number (MU8-2205) — and speak directly to Santa himself. Here, LIFE.com presents photos from that article — as well as some other “Awww”-inspiring pictures that never ran in the magazine. So, the question I ask you — think they got what they asked for?

life:

“This little girl is talking to Santa Claus — and so may any other girl or boy who telephones Murray Hill 8-2205 in New York between now and Christmas.”

LIFE magazine announced this in a 1947 story about some marvelous holiday subterfuge devised by New York’s famed toy store, FAO Schwarz. The gambit involved a phone system whereby children could dial that number (MU8-2205) — and speak directly to Santa himself.

Here, LIFE.com presents photos from that article — as well as some other “Awww”-inspiring pictures that never ran in the magazine.

So, the question I ask you — think they got what they asked for?