One caller said a passenger dressed as Santa stumbled from the vehicle, approached several children playing in a yard and began to hug them, demanding to know where his reindeer were.
Police quickly found the vehicle, stopped it and determined the driver and Santa both were intoxicated.
The driver, Kevin Arnold, 47, of Sparta was arrested on suspicion of operating while intoxicated.
Police said Santa was identified as Thomas Arnold, 55, of Sparta, and was cited for open intoxicants.