It's definitely the information age when your kids aren't hovering over pen and paper -- but rather a keyboard -- as they draft their wish lists for Santa.

Not only does it give a new twist to your "in-my-day" tales, e-mailing Santa also is a clever marketing tool.

Realizing that e-mails to ol' St. Nick could draw customers, two Valley businesses are promoting that "service" this holiday season.

Tosco's new e-Place.com Store in northwest Phoenix is helping children compose their letters to Santa on the store's Internet terminals for free. The letters, sent to [email protected], then can be forwarded to parents or other relatives.

The store also is offering parents complimentary gift wrapping for items purchased from its Internet kiosks and delivered to e-Place.

At Paradise Valley Mall, children can get an immediate response from Santa after e-mailing him on BigFatWow's Internet terminals in Center Court. The response is just a thank-you note -- not an evaluation of good or bad behavior, and not a guarantee any gift requests can be fulfilled. (Parents, this is a good reminder to pass on to little Dick and Jane.)

Tosco launched e-Place.com, a hybrid Internet caf� and convenience store, in October. BigFatWow is a Dallas-based business that introduced its terminals at PV Mall this past summer.

Get a Grinch

On the other side of the Santa spectrum, is the debut of NeoPlanet's newest browser skin -- The Grinch.

Tempe-based NeoPlanet designed the official Grinch Web browser to promote Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas movie -- which opened last month. Dr. Seuss fans can download the Grinch skin free at http://www.meanone.com.

Tara Teichgraeber covers Internet- related businesses, venture-capital issues and other entrepreneurial concerns. She can be reached at 602-230-8400, Ext. 120, or by e-mail at tteich@bizjournals .com.