While the Northeast has been on edge with concerns over possible drone sightings, one upcoming sighting is sure to spread holiday cheer across the globe: Santa Claus.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is once again gearing up to track Santa and his reindeer on their global journey.
NORAD, tasked with protecting the skies of the United States and Canada, will activate its Santa tracking system at 6 a.m. ET on Christmas Eve. Enthusiastic Santa-watchers can follow his progress on NORAD’s website or by calling 1-877-HI-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) to join in this festive tradition.
For those on the go, the tracking service is also available through the NORAD Tracks Santa app, social media, Amazon Alexa, OnStar, and SiriusXM.
This marks the 69th year that NORAD has tracked Santa’s journey, a tradition that began by accident in 1955. According to NORAD’s website, it all started when a local newspaper ad invited children to call Santa—only the number was misprinted. Instead of reaching the jolly man himself, a child called the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Air Force Col. Harry Shoup, who answered the call, quickly recognized the mix-up and reassured the child he had indeed reached Santa. As more children called, Shoup assigned an officer to answer the growing number of inquiries, and a new holiday tradition was born. The tradition continued when NORAD was established in 1958.
Today, the Santa tracker website receives millions of visitors each year, and volunteers typically answer more than 130,000 calls, making it a cherished part of Christmas for families around the world.
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