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Every Christmas Eve, Norad — the North American Aerospace Defense Command — provides real-time tracking of Santa’s sleigh as it navigates the skies.
The cherished tradition dates back to 1955 when a misprint in a department store advert led a young child to call a Colorado military command center asking to speak to Santa Claus.
Air Force Colonel Harry Shoup, who picked up the call that night, played along and assured the child he was Santa. As more calls poured in, he assigned an officer to handle the queries, starting a festive custom that Norad continued after its creation in 1958.
For decades, Norad has swapped its usual airspace monitoring duties to answer children’s questions about Santa’s journey and his astonishing present-delivery operation.
Each year, at least 100,000 kids call into the organization to inquire about Santa’s location. Millions more follow online — in nine languages — as St. Nick swoops along the earth’s meridians.
Stay tuned for updates as we follow Santa’s magical route across the globe.
When will Santa arrive at my house?
“NORAD tracks Santa, but only Santa knows his route,” the military organization’s website states, “which means we cannot predict where and when he will arrive at your house. We do, however, know from history that it appears he arrives only when children are asleep! In most countries, it seems Santa arrives between 9:00 p.m. and midnight on December 24th. If children are still awake when Santa arrives, he moves on to other houses. He returns later, but only when the children are asleep!”
Tom Murray24 December 2024 02:01
Watch: Santa arrives by boat to deliver presents to children in Brazil’s Amazon
Tom Murray24 December 2024 01:00
Is the NORAD Santa tracker safe from a government shutdown?
The military’s tradition of tracking Santa Claus on his gravity-defying sweep across the globe will carry on this Christmas Eve, even if the U.S. government shuts down, officials said Friday.
“We fully expect for Santa to take flight on Dec. 24 and NORAD will track him,” the U.S.-Canadian agency said in a statement.
On any other night, NORAD is scanning the heavens for potential threats, such as last year’s Chinese spy balloon. But on Christmas Eve, volunteers in Colorado Springs, Colorado, are fielding questions like, “When is Santa coming to my house?” and, “Am I on the naughty or nice list?”
The endeavor is supported by local and corporate sponsors, who also help shield the tradition from Washington dysfunction.
The Associated Press24 December 2024 00:02
How to track Santa’s journey with Norad
NORAD has an online tracker for children to watch Santa travel across the world in real-time. This year’s website launched on December 1, and it currently shows a village in the North Pole and a countdown to Christmas Eve.
The website will display Santa’s location from 4 a.m. ET on Christmas Eve to 2 a.m. on Christmas Day.
Families can also download NORAD’s Santa Tracker app on both the Apple app store and Google Play store. Those who are interested in calling NORAD can use the phone number 1-877-HI-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) on December 24 from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Christmas Day ET.
Google will also have its own version of a Santa tracker that will go live on December 24. Similar to NORAD’s tracker, Google has a countdown timer to Christmas Eve and various games available to play before Santa’s map goes live.
Tom Murray23 December 2024 23:01
Welcome to The Independent’s Santa tracker live blog!
Hello and Happy Christmas! Santa Claus is finally coming to town and we’re ready to watch his journey live as the North American Aerospace Defense Command (Norad) once again tracks him on his way around the globe.
It’s T-minus 10 hours until he sets off, so get ready, put some Christmas tunes on and prepare for his departure with us.
Tom Murray23 December 2024 22:37
