The holiday season heralds a tradition that has delighted children and adults alike for close to seven decades—the tracking of Santa Claus by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). On Christmas Eve, as families tuck into their dinners and wrap the final presents, NORAD sharpen their gaze and extend their tech to follow the gift-giver's global journey. According to ABC15, Col. Paul Burger of NORAD revealed that "We have that same technology, our radar, our satellites, our fighter jets that we use to track any threats coming into North America." Col. Paul Burger added, "We can use that same technology to track Santa."
What began as an unintended consequence of a misprinted phone number in a 1955 Christmas advertisement has become an endearing and much-anticipated occasion. A child's inadvertent phone call to the NORAD's predecessor led to the start of the Santa tracking program. As "a colonel who answered the phone quickly understood what was going on," he assured the caller of Santa's whereabouts, as per a statement obtained by ABC15. Today, that mission thrives, fueled by the magic of radar and the festive glow of Rudolph's renowned nose. The mission receives support from the assistance of over a thousand volunteers annually, eagerly updating the public on Santa's movements.
NORAD anticipates Santa's sleigh to cast shadows over the Arizona skies between 9 p.m. and midnight tonight. They gently remind parents to ensure children are nestled in their beds so as Santa can make his deliveries in secret. Major-General F. William Radiff, NORAD Director of Operations, echoed this sentiment in an interview with Door County Daily News, expressing the thrill of the occasion: "With the help of radars worldwide and Rudolph's nose, it is a thrill to track Santa every year."
To partake in this festive tradition, individuals can visit NORADSanta.org or dial 1-877-HI-NORAD for a personal update from the NORAD Tracks Santa hotline, where volunteers, as has been the case since Santa’s first ‘official’ flight, continue answering over 130,000 calls from eager children and adults alike.
