As Santa beings his epic journey on Dec. 24, 2021, to deliver toys to children all over the world, flight enthusiasts — and kids of all ages — can track his journey a few different ways.
Since 1955 the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has tracked Santa’s journey around the globe.
NORAD’s mission to track Santa began by accident. In 1955 a young child, trying to reach Santa, dialed the misprinted phone number from a department store ad in the local newspaper. Instead of calling Santa, the child called the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) Operations Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Air Force Col. Harry Shoup, the commander on duty that night who answered the child’s phone call, was quick to realize a mistake had been made and assured the child he was Santa. After more incoming calls, Shoup assigned a duty officer to continue answering calls and a tradition was born that continued when NORAD was formed in 1958.
Each year since, NORAD has dutifully reported Santa’s location on Dec. 24 to millions of children and families across the world.
What started because of a typo has flourished and is recognized as one of the Department of Defense’s largest community outreach programs.
Each year, the NORAD Tracks Santa website receives several million unique visitors from more than 200 countries and territories around the world. Volunteers typically answer more than 130,000 calls to the NORAD Tracks Santa hotline from children across the globe.
In addition to the phone line and website, children and the young-at-heart can track Santa through mobile apps and NORAD’s social media platforms, including Facebook and YouTube.
Or You Can Google Santa
Google has created its own Santa Tracker, which also contains a host of online games in Santa’s Village, including an opportunity for kids to learn to code with Santa’s elves.
On Dec. 24, Santa’s Village transforms into a tracker where you can follow Santa and his reindeer as they deliver presents to kids around the world.
One fun fact from Google about Santa’s flight: “Did you know Santa’s journey lasts 25 hours? He makes his first stop just after 10 p.m. local time in far eastern Russia, when it’s 5 a.m. in New York and 11 a.m. in Paris.”