As you may recall, Google set up a Google Voice number for Santa Claus last year. Google let people set up personalized calls from Santa at sendacallfromsanta.com.

The site is once again in operation (for U.S. users).

This year, Google has also made it possible to call Santa from Gmail. Product marketing manager Trevor Claiborne says, “This year, Santa wants you to reach out to him (after all, reindeer are only so-so conversationalists). If you or your family members have a special request for Santa, you can call him right from Gmail* and leave him a message at his Google Voice number: 855-34-SANTA. Santa won’t be able to return messages himself—it’s a busy time of year for him—but he’s promised to keep us up to date on happenings in the North Pole day by day.

“Of course, Santa is never one to fall behind the technological times (word on the street is that Rudolph’s nose was recently upgraded to an energy-efficient LED),” he says. “So while the red suit may never go out of style, this year Santa has come up with an extra special way to spread the holiday cheer. But you’ll have to wait until it’s closer to Christmas to find out what it is.”

I wonder if that has anything to do with Google+. A Santa Hangout perhaps?

On a semi-related note, Google recently extended free calls (for the U.S. and Canada) from Gmail through 2012.