Technology offers some creative ways to interact with Santa Claus this year. Here are a few to check out as you await the big guy’s arrival:

Websites

At NorthPole.com, you can get a behind-the-scenes look at Santa’s workshop, have a story read to you, get a story personalized, print out craft sheets, visit the reindeer and a host of other activities.

You can track Santa’s progress around the world on Christmas Eve at NORAD Tracks Santa.  (Follow @noradsanta on Twitter).

However, don’t let your kids try to friend him on Facebook. There are at least a dozen Santa pages and goodness knows who’s behind them.

Mashable.com has some more cool links  – including a site where your kids can take a quiz to see if they make the “nice” list.

Phone

You can call and leave a message on Santa’s voicemail at 1-855-34-SANTA.

iPhone/iPad

There are some great Christmas story apps out this year. We like Popout! The Night Before Christmas on the iPad. Kids can read the story themselves, or have it read to them. The pictures are animated when you touch them. It’s nicely illustrated, too. Sure, we’ll read the actual paper book, too – over and over again. But this is a fun way to enjoy the holiday classic. (It’s $2.99 at iTunes.)

If your kids still haven’t posted their letters to Santa, there’s an app for that, of course. With Letters to Santa on the iPhone or iPad, kids can send in their wish lists and get a response from St. Nick. It’s 99 cents at iTunes.

Merry Christmas!!

If you just can’t wait for the holidays to start, then you’ll want to get over to Town Center on Friday, Nov. 12.

Santa will be cruising into the mall in a Lexus convertible for a parade and lighting of the mall tree. St. Nick’s arrival is scheduled for 5 p.m. outside Crate & Barrel.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, juggling stiltwalkers and performers from the Boca Ballet will be there, too. And kids can join in the parade.

Santa will be available for photo ops from Nov. 13-Dec. 24. Two days are set aside for pet photos with Santa: 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 6 and 13. Appointments required for that; call 561-368-6000.

This year, the mall will also have a Hanukkah photo set, near Saks Fifth Avenue. It will be open noon to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays from Nov. 13-Dec. 10.

From Nov. 26-Dec. 19, the mall will be giving out fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies. And you can get your purchases wrapped by the National Junior ROTC and Boca Raton High School Band outside Macy’s and the Sony Style store.

Other mall holiday events:

• Dec. 2: 6 p.m. Menorah lighting, plus potato latkes and entertainment.

• Dec. 11: 8:30 a.m. Breakfast with Santa, also featuring clowns and face-painting.

For more info, see the mall’s Facebook page, Town Center at Boca Raton.