Every year, as Christmas Eve approaches, millions of children (and adults) eagerly await the arrival of Santa Claus, the jolly man who travels the world delivering gifts to children everywhere. But while Santa’s arrival may seem like pure magic, there’s an organization that helps keep track of his progress: NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
NORAD, which is responsible for monitoring and defending North American airspace, has a unique and heartwarming mission during the holiday season — to track Santa’s journey around the globe as he makes his rounds on Christmas Eve. Let’s dive into the fascinating story of how NORAD became involved in this beloved tradition and how it uses cutting-edge technology to track Santa’s sleigh each year.
The Origins of NORAD’s Santa Tracking Tradition
The story of NORAD tracking Santa dates back to 1955, long before GPS systems or social media. It all began with a simple mistake. A Sears department store in Colorado Springs, Colorado, placed an advertisement in a local newspaper for children to call Santa directly at a listed phone number. However, the phone number printed was misdialed, and instead of reaching Santa, children ended up calling the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) Operations Center.
Colonel Harry Shoup, who was in charge of the operations center at the time, was initially confused by the calls but quickly realized what was happening. To keep the children happy and in the spirit of the season, Colonel Shoup and his staff decided to pretend to be Santa’s helpers. They started to give out Santa’s location based on military radar, assuring kids that they could always find out where Santa was on his journey.
The tradition continued the following year and grew into an annual event. When NORAD was created in 1958 as a merger of the U.S. and Canadian air defense forces, the task of tracking Santa became part of its official holiday operations.
How Does NORAD Track Santa?
In today’s world, NORAD uses the latest technology to track Santa’s every move as he flies around the globe. Santa’s sleigh is equipped with advanced technology (in the spirit of Christmas magic, of course), and NORAD uses radar systems, satellite tracking, and even fighter jets to follow his progress.
1. Radar and Satellite Systems
NORAD utilizes a sophisticated network of radar stations across North America to track airborne objects. While Santa’s sleigh is not a typical aircraft, the radar can pick up objects moving at high speeds and across large distances. NORAD also uses its weather satellites to track Santa’s journey, using infrared sensors to detect heat signatures. This technology helps pinpoint Santa’s location with remarkable accuracy.
2. NORAD Tracks Santa Website
Since the 1990s, NORAD has made it even easier for families to follow Santa’s progress with a special website, noradsanta.org. Each year, this site goes live on December 24, offering real-time updates on Santa’s whereabouts, fun facts about the North Pole, and even interactive games and videos.
The site is available in multiple languages and provides a digital countdown to Christmas Eve, so children around the world can eagerly anticipate when Santa’s journey will begin.
3. Social Media and Mobile Apps
In addition to the website, NORAD has expanded its Santa tracking efforts through mobile apps and social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. These platforms offer live updates, videos of Santa’s sleigh in the sky, and other exciting features to help keep families engaged. The NORAD Tracks Santa team even provides updates on their Twitter feed every time Santa crosses a new country or region.
4. NORAD Volunteers and Live Phone Assistance
Over 1,500 volunteers help with NORAD’s Santa tracking each year. These volunteers are ready to answer phone calls from children (and curious adults!) to provide live updates on Santa’s location. The NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center is set up in Colorado Springs, where volunteers work around the clock on Christmas Eve to help spread holiday cheer.
Why Is NORAD’s Santa Tracking So Special?
What makes NORAD’s Santa tracking service truly magical is the spirit behind it. This initiative is a labor of love and goodwill, designed to bring joy and wonder to children and families around the world. While NORAD is best known for its important role in defense and security, tracking Santa is a heartwarming reminder that even organizations tasked with serious duties have a lighter, more festive side.
The Impact of NORAD’s Santa Tracker Around the World
Over the decades, NORAD’s Santa Tracker has become a global tradition, with millions of families in over 200 countries and territories following Santa’s every move. The program offers a sense of connection during the holiday season, uniting people from all walks of life and cultures through a shared love of Christmas magic.
For children, the experience of tracking Santa gives them a sense of wonder and excitement, reinforcing the belief in the magic of the holidays. Many families make it a yearly tradition to gather around the computer or TV to see how close Santa is to their home, building anticipation for when he’ll arrive with presents.
Fun Facts About NORAD’s Santa Tracker
- Santa’s Sleigh Speed: According to NORAD, Santa travels at speeds of up to 1,800 miles per second, allowing him to visit all the children around the world in just one night.
- Santa’s Flight Path: Santa visits an estimated 650 million children across 91 million households, which means he has to make over 300,000 stops.
- Santa’s Reindeer: Though Santa’s sleigh is powered by eight reindeer (with Rudolph leading the way), NORAD has never confirmed whether the reindeer are equipped with any special radar-evading technology.
- NORAD’s Command Center: The Santa Tracker has its own operations center at NORAD, which runs a 24-hour service on Christmas Eve. Volunteers man the phones and provide updates.
