Sangamon Sun

Every Christmas Eve, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) tracks Santa Claus's journey around the world. This tradition began by accident in 1955 when a Sears department store in Colorado Springs published an advertisement inviting children to call Santa directly. The ad mistakenly listed a phone number that directed calls to the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) Operations Center, NORAD's predecessor. Colonel Harry Shoup, who was on duty at the time, received the first call from a child looking for Santa. Recognizing an opportunity to spread holiday cheer, he instructed his staff to provide Santa’s "current location" to any child who called.

In 1958, NORAD was established and took over tracking Santa's journey. Over the years, it has used technological advancements to enhance this experience, providing real-time updates on Santa’s location to families worldwide.

NORAD uses sophisticated technologies to monitor Santa’s movements. Its radar network, with 47 installations across North America, detects Santa’s departure from the North Pole. Satellites equipped with infrared sensors detect heat signatures like Rudolph’s bright red nose, allowing them to track Santa's sleigh globally.

When entering North American airspace, Canadian CF-18s and American F-15s, F-16s, or F-22s escort Santa. Pilots relay his location back to NORAD headquarters.

Updates are shared through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram. Partners such as Amazon Alexa and OnStar offer tracking services via voice commands or in-car systems.

On December 24th, volunteers answer inquiries about Santa’s whereabouts through a call center by dialing 1-877-HI-NORAD. This tradition is now a significant community outreach program.

The NORAD Tracks Santa program engages volunteers and delights families worldwide each year with millions of website visits and thousands of phone calls.

To learn more about this tradition's origins, watch CBS News's video: How Norad’s Santa Tracker tradition got started.