
It’s back! In what has become an annual ritual for millions on Christmas Eve, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, is tracking Santa Claus’s journey from the North Pole to deliver gifts to children across the globe.
NORAD’s Santa Claus tracker website — NORADSanta.org — includes a map that allows users to track Santa’s location in real time. The site attracts tens of millions of visitors every year.
Beginning at midnight on Christmas Eve, the site utilizes satellite mapping technology and digital animation to simulate the route of Santa’s reindeer and sleigh.
The tracker also features a live count of gifts delivered by Jolly Old St. Nick. At the time of this publication, that figure was more than 1.3 billion.
NORAD’s history of tracking Santa
The practice began in 1955 when a child accidentally called the unlisted number of what was then the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center, asking for Santa Claus.
Not wanting to disappoint the young caller, Air Force Col. Harry Shoup, the command center’s director of operations, “instructed his staff to check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole,” according to NORAD. Each year since, NORAD has dutifully reported Santa’s location on Dec. 24 to millions of children and families.
The binational military organization, based in Colorado Springs, Colo., eventually enlisted volunteers to answer a dedicated phone line to give updates on Santa’s whereabouts. In recent years, those volunteers have included pop stars, presidents and first ladies.
And the hotline still exists: You can call 877-HI-NORAD (877-446-6723) to reach one of the call center’s operators. (President Trump is scheduled to field NORAD Santa calls from Palm Beach, Fla., on Wednesday afternoon.) Last Christmas Eve, it logged more than 300,000 calls.
Just don’t ask when Santa will arrive at your house.
“NORAD tracks Santa, but only Santa knows his route, which means we cannot predict where and when he will arrive at your house,” the organization explains on its FAQ page. “We do, however, know from history that it appears he arrives only when children are asleep!”
LATEST POSTS
- 1
Artemis 2 captures historic 'Earthset' photo | Space photo of the day for April 7, 2026 - 2
Tech Development Disclosed: A Survey of \Usefulness and Configuration in Concentration\ Tech Item - 3
7 Powerful Techniques to Boost Efficiency with Your Cell Phone: A Thorough Aide - 4
Doctors say changes to US vaccine recommendations are confusing parents and could harm kids - 5
Giude to Best Web based Learning Stage
Cyprus urges hotels to open up, pours funding into tourism
ByHeart infant formula recall tied to botulism outbreak puts parents on edge
James Webb Space Telescope finds strongest evidence yet for atmosphere around rocky exoplanet: 'It's really like a wet lava ball'
At least 7 dead as Israel renews attacks on Beirut and across Lebanon
Paris Agreement target off the table, report says
Baby takes 1st steps after receiving groundbreaking gene-edited therapy
Kaiser Permanente affiliates to pay $556 million to resolve US claims alleging Medicare fraud
Kiev declares energy emergency after Russian attacks amid winter cold
From Specialist to Proficient Picture taker: Individual Triumphs













