Kids anxious to learn when Santa would arrive got an update from a surprise guest this year when first lady Michelle Obama fielded their phone calls.

Gary Cameron / REUTERS

Michelle Obama reads "The Night Before Christmas" to children at the Children's National Medical Center with unsolicited help from First Dog Bo.

That was just part of the Christmas festivities for the first lady, who also read “'The Night Before Christmas’’ at the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 15.

On Christmas Eve, Obama was patched in as one of the volunteers answering phone calls to the NORAD Santa-tracking operation at a Colorado Air Force Base. She added to the excitement and anticipation of Christmas for several children, including one persistent one from Fort Worth, Texas, who wanted her to come visit him.

A boy named Anthony was hoping that not only Santa could stop by his home, but also the first lady and possibly her husband, according to a report by Politico.

“Yeah, [Santa's] heading your way,’’ the first lady said. “He’s heading your way. But you know what, Santa doesn’t come until you’re fast asleep.  You do know that, right?”

“Yeah, I was talking about you trying to visit me,’’ Anthony replied.

“Oh, me come to visit you. Well, I don’t know if I’m going to be able to come and visit before Christmas tomorrow, but if ever I find myself in Texas next year – and I know I’m going to be coming to Texas one time next year – hopefully we can see each other then.  How does that sound?”

Anthony then asked Mrs. Obama if she would come to his house or his school.

“You’re at Fort Worth?’’ the first lady replied. “I was in Fort Worth last year.  So maybe we can come back.  But until then, I want you to have a merry Christmas, OK, Anthony?”

But Anthony was not done.

“Can I talk to your husband?” he asked.

“He’s not here right now,’’ Mrs. Obama said. “But you know what, I will tell him that you asked about him.  OK? All right.  You keep being a good kid.  Work hard in school, okay?”

“OK,’’ Anthony responded. “Tell your daughters I said Merry Christmas.’’

“I sure will,’’ she said. “Thank you so much.  You give your family my best, OK?  You give them all a Merry Christmas from all of the Obamas, OK?”

Anthony from Fort Worth was from one of several families who received a special greeting from the first lady, including the Thomas family of Winona, N.J.

“Look, this just made their whole, like, life,’’ Mrs. Thomas told her. “They’re pretty excited now if they weren’t already.’’

Gary Cameron / REUTERS

Young A.J. Murray's reactions were a highlight of the first lady's reading of "The Night Before Christmas."

“Well, it’s pretty exciting around here, too,’’ the first lady responded.

There was also plenty of excitement during her reading of “The Night Before Christmas’’ in Washington on Dec. 15, which was released on video by the White House on Christmas Eve. The first lady had barely taken her seat when Bo, the Obama family dog, hopped right into her lap.

“This is exactly what he does at home,’’ Mrs. Obama said. “He tries to beat Malia and Sasha to my lap.’’

With the pet she jokingly called “the big baby in the room’’ nestled in her lap, she then delivered a dramatic reading of the Christmas classic while flanked by her tiny escorts, A.J. Murray and Jordyn Akuoko, as well as Santa himself. The adorable reactions of Murray and Akuoko highlight her reading.

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Every family has holiday traditions, but it’s a whole different story when you celebrate in the White House.

TODAY’s Jenna Bush Hager knows first-hand what it’s like to spend the holidays at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Last month she sat down with Michelle Obama to get a glimpse into how the current White House occupants celebrate this season. 

“This is the most special time to be in the White House, and one of the things I really love is that it’s the one time of the year when we really open the White House,’’ Obama said. “We have thousands and thousands of visitors just streaming through every day. Everything looks great. The smells are magnificent. I feel very blessed to be able to be here during these times.’’

On Thursday at 8 p.m., NBC will air "A White House Christmas: First Families Remember,'' as former presidential families look back at their experiences. "During the holidays, it really is magical,'' Hager told TODAY's Savannah Guthrie. 

TODAY

TODAY's Jenna Bush Hager can remember her grandfather, George H.W. Bush, reading 'Night Before Christmas' to her and her siblings and cousins every year at the White House.

The first lady said her role during the holidays is to be “hostess-in-chief,’’ which includes welcoming some important guests.

“One of the things that’s really special for us is really being able to turn a spotlight onto our military families, which is something that we try to do every year through the holidays,’’ she said. “I just try to remember that this is the time when the White House is truly the people’s house.’’

The president also takes a backseat to the true star of the family during the holidays — Bo, the family’s Portuguese water dog. Bo is featured on this year’s official White House holiday card.

TODAY

The Obamas always try to work their beloved Portuguese water dog Bo into their holiday themes, including the cover of the White House holiday card this year.

“We always find a way to incorporate Bo into our Christmas themes,’’ Obama said. “Bo is the most popular member of our family. The president is clear on it. There are times when people recognize Bo, and they don’t even see him.’’

Read: Bo-Ho-Ho! First dog inspects White House holiday decorations

The Obamas will actually spend Christmas some 5,000 miles away from the White House in Hawaii, where the president grew up and attended high school.

“We go out there, and we spend time with friends and family,’’ she said. “That tends to be our gift to each other, the president and I. We don’t exchange gifts. We say, ‘We’re in Hawaii. Merry Christmas.’’’

TODAY

TODAY's Jenna Bush Hager also was able to experience putting the star on top of the National Christmas Tree with her grandmother, Barbara Bush.

One of the family traditions is a Christmas talent show involving the children — and the adults.

“Everyone has to participate, whether it’s singing or reading a poem,’’ Obama said. “The kids will construct a play of some sort, or we’ll sing Christmas carols.’’

The first lady declined to reveal the nature of her performance in this year's show.

“I wouldn’t disclose it to the public,’’ she joked. “It would give me a great disadvantage.’’

She did reveal the contents of the holiday meal: “There's turkey, there’s string beans and stuffing, a little mac and cheese,’’ she said. “This is a time when I throw ‘Let's Move’ out the window for a moment, and get that mac and cheese. Everybody deserves their mac and cheese.”

After the frenetic pace of the election, the family is looking forward to spending some time together with the understanding that the president’s job could take him away at any time.

TODAY

Just like the Obamas, it was all about family for Jenna Bush Hager (at right) during holiday time at the White House during the two presidential terms of her father, George W. Bush.

“This job never stops,’’ Obama said. “It's a wonderful privilege. It's a blessing. We're so glad to be here for four more years. There's so much work to do, but you don't have control over where the winds blow.’’

While the White House holiday experience differs from that of the average household, the core values are still the same, the first lady said.

“That’s what you realize living here is that in the end, it’s about family,’’ she said. “It’s about friendship. No matter what we’re dealing with around the world, the holidays are a time for us to all just be together and be thankful.’’

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