
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
NMG signs new graphite supply deal with Canadian Government - 2
Rick Steves' Favorite Time To Visit Spain Has Lower Prices And Fewer Crowds - 3
'We were genuinely astonished': This moss survived 9 months outside the International Space Station and could still grow on Earth - 4
6 Robot Vacuum Cleaners for Easy Home Cleaning - 5
‘This year nearly broke me as a scientist’ – US researchers reflect on how 2025’s science cuts have changed their lives
Instructions to Keep up with Your Traded Teeth for Life span
Your guide to how to safely thaw and cook your Thanksgiving turkey this year, according to experts
Audits of 6 European Busssiness Class Flights
Reality TV star Spencer Pratt, who lost his home in Palisades Fire, is running for mayor of Los Angeles
She's been a Bond girl and a mutant. Now she's grappling with Hollywood's obsession with 'eternal youth.'
Indoor Drinking Fountains: Famous Home Advancements during the Pandemic
Ancient fire discovery marks significant milestone in human history
The Main 20 Gaming Control center Ever
Exclusive-Drugmakers raise US prices on 350 medicines despite pressure from Trump













