On Christmas Eve, it's not just the excitement of gifts and holiday cheer filling the air; there's also the magical tradition of tracking Santa Claus as he makes his worldwide rounds. The North American Aerospace Defense Command, known as NORAD, has been fulfilling this delightful task for decades, helping children and families keep tabs on St. Nick's latest stops.
This year, NORAD officially began tracking Santa at 5 a.m. CST on December 24. Equipped with hundreds of volunteers, NORAD offers real-time updates on Santa's whereabouts, allowing anxious children to know precisely when they should scamper off to bed. NORAD encourages kids to call 1-877-HI-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) to speak to staff members who can share Santa's location, with operators standing by until midnight.
For those glued to their devices, the Santa-tracking website noradsanta.org offers detailed updates. It's projected this year NORAD will handle over 111,000 calls from 200 countries and respond to around 12,000 emails from eager children.
But how does Santa manage to deliver gifts to millions of children worldwide in just one night? According to NORAD, “Santa does not experience time the way we do. His trip seems to take 24 hours to us, but to Santa, it might last days, weeks or even months.” This explanation adds to the Christmas magic, leaving parents and children alike wondering how he manages this incredible feat.
Interestingly, the Santa tracking tradition started quite accidentally. NORAD’s origins as Santa's annual tracker go back to 1955 when a misprinted phone number directed children to the Continental Air Defense Command instead of the North Pole. That encounter led to officers providing updates on Santa's location, and the rest is history. Today, the tradition continues to grow with every Christmas.
Meanwhile, Google also joins the fun with its own innovative Santa tracker at santatracker.google.com. The tech giant launched this service in 2004, offering families real-time updates on Santa's progress through the magic of Google Maps. Google also provides holiday-themed games and educational activities through its Santa Tracker features, keeping the holiday spirit alive for all ages.
This year's tracking shows Santa starting his route at the International Date Line and traveling westward, making stops first across the South Pacific, then on to New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and beyond. NORAD expects Santa to reach each home between 9 p.m. and midnight local time, underscoring the importance of children being fast asleep to experience Santa’s magical visit.
Both NORAD and Google work hard to maintain the tradition of Santa tracking, ensuring children and families can join together, experiencing the thrill of anticipation as Christmas Day approaches. Santa's route continues to delight families, blending the high-tech world with age-old festive folklore.
