Santa Claus is coming to town and NORAD is tracking every minute. Follow along as his reindeer rocket across the world.
Santa Claus won’t be caught coming down the chimney and placing gifts under the tree, but everyone can follow his journey delivering presents around the globe.
Santa’s Christmas trip is tracked by the military’s North American Aerospace Defense Command — also known as NORAD — and online for all to follow at https://www.noradsanta.org/.
In addition, hundreds of volunteers are ready at NORAD headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to keep children updated by phone and field questions about Santa.
NORAD Public Affairs Officer Chuck Marsh said the call center received more than 150,000 calls last Dec. 24.
Many children call wanting to know precisely where Santa is so they know when to go to bed, he said. Some even call to try to get a message to Santa that they’ve been better than a sibling and should get the most gifts.
“It’s a tradition. Sometimes three or four generations are on the phone with me,” Marsh said, noting volunteers love the joy of the season.
NORAD is a military agency that protects North America’s air space 24/7 in a joint venture between the United States and Canada and is charged with missions of aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning for North America. This will be their 67th year tracking Santa. It is proof that Santa exists, Marsh said, because why else would NORAD continue to use time and resources.
“He lives in the hearts of people who believe,” Marsh said.
NORAD’s tracking of Santa Claus is a tradition established in 1955 when a young child accidentally dialed the wrong phone number after seeing a newspaper advertisement telling kids to call Santa.
Colonel Harry Shoup, then-director of operations for NORAD, answered the phone and instructed his staff to check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole. Since then, the agency has reported Santa’s location on Dec. 24 to millions of children and families around the world.
Once Santa leaves the North Pole, his trip starts at the International Date Line and moves west. The NORAD website states that, historically, Santa visits the South Pacific first, then New Zealand and Australia. After that, he goes to Japan, over to Asia, across to Africa, then onto Western Europe, Canada, the United States, Mexico and Central and South America.
Many wonder how Santa can make it around the world in one night, but Marsh explained that Santa doesn’t experience time the way we do, so a day for us could be weeks or months for him.
He also travels “at the speed of starlight,’ Marsh said.
Intelligence reports put Santa at about 5 feet 7, and 260 pounds at takeoff. After all the cookies on the journey, he weighs 1,260 pounds upon return but works it off fast, Marsh said.
Marsh added that Santa’s sleigh runs on nine reindeer power, weighs 75,000 gumdrops and the gifts weigh 60,000 tons. The “fuel” is hay, oats and carrots, he said.
Satellites used to track Santa have infrared sensors that can see heat, so Rudolph’s red nose is easily spotted. When Santa enters NORAD air space, he’s greeted with a friendly tip of jet wing and accompanied by a jet, Marsh said.
On Christmas Eve, website visitors can see Santa making preparations for his flight beginning at 4 a.m. At 6 a.m., they can begin asking about Santa’s location by dialing the toll-free number — 1-877-Hi-NORAD or 1-877-446-6723 — where they may speak with a live phone operator or hear a recorded update.
Other tidbits on NORAD’s website:
Santa’s route can be affected by weather, so it’s really unpredictable.
Santa will not arrive until children are asleep. If he gets to your house and you’re awake, he’ll come back.
It’s not known for sure how Santa gets down the chimney, “although NORAD has different hypotheses and theories.”
The official NORAD Tracks Santa app is also available in the Apple App and Google Play stores.
