
It’s back! In what has become an annual ritual for millions on Christmas Eve, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, is tracking Santa Claus’s journey from the North Pole to deliver gifts to children across the globe.
NORAD’s Santa Claus tracker website — NORADSanta.org — includes a map that allows users to track Santa’s location in real time. The site attracts tens of millions of visitors every year.
Beginning at midnight on Christmas Eve, the site utilizes satellite mapping technology and digital animation to simulate the route of Santa’s reindeer and sleigh.
The tracker also features a live count of gifts delivered by Jolly Old St. Nick. At the time of this publication, that figure was more than 1.3 billion.
NORAD’s history of tracking Santa
The practice began in 1955 when a child accidentally called the unlisted number of what was then the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center, asking for Santa Claus.
Not wanting to disappoint the young caller, Air Force Col. Harry Shoup, the command center’s director of operations, “instructed his staff to check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole,” according to NORAD. Each year since, NORAD has dutifully reported Santa’s location on Dec. 24 to millions of children and families.
The binational military organization, based in Colorado Springs, Colo., eventually enlisted volunteers to answer a dedicated phone line to give updates on Santa’s whereabouts. In recent years, those volunteers have included pop stars, presidents and first ladies.
And the hotline still exists: You can call 877-HI-NORAD (877-446-6723) to reach one of the call center’s operators. (President Trump is scheduled to field NORAD Santa calls from Palm Beach, Fla., on Wednesday afternoon.) Last Christmas Eve, it logged more than 300,000 calls.
Just don’t ask when Santa will arrive at your house.
“NORAD tracks Santa, but only Santa knows his route, which means we cannot predict where and when he will arrive at your house,” the organization explains on its FAQ page. “We do, however, know from history that it appears he arrives only when children are asleep!”
LATEST POSTS
- 1
Meet Beef the bulldog, who takes slow walks with his 78-year-old friend - 2
Glen Powell will host 'Saturday Night Live' with Olivia Dean as musical guest: What to know ahead of their debut - 3
Flu season is ramping up, and some experts are "pretty worried" - 4
Rights group: At least 2,500 deaths during protest crackdown in Iran - 5
Equality requires universal draft, participation in economy and workforce, MK Liberman says
Instructions to Back Your Sunlight powered chargers: Tracking down Possible Choices
Vote In favor of Your Favored Comupter Game
How to get tickets for AC/DC's 2026 'Power Up' Tour
Exploring the Mind boggling Universe of Connections: Individual Bits of knowledge
Find the Marvels of the World with These Travels
Ageless Tastefulness: An Outline of Valuable Gemstones and Adornments
4 Excellent Remote Headphones of 2024
Voting begins in Uganda’s presidential election during internet shutdown and polling station delays
Figure out What Experience Level Means for Medical caretaker Compensation Dealings













