The North American Aerospace Defense Command is gearing up for its most festive mission of the year—tracking Santa Claus as he delivers presents around the globe. It’s a tradition that’s now in its 69th year.
NORAD’s holiday operation officially kicks off December 1st with the launch of its Santa-tracking website. The site, available in nine languages, features games, music, movies, and a countdown to Christmas Eve.
This year, NORAD is also offering a mobile app and updates on social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And for families eager to know Santa’s whereabouts on Christmas Eve, NORAD’s live operators will be standing by to take calls from 6 a.m. to midnight, Mountain Time.
Officials say it all started back in 1955, when a misprinted phone number in a department store ad led children to call NORAD’s predecessor by mistake. Instead of turning them away, operators played along—and a tradition was born.
Today, NORAD’s Santa-tracking program is a global effort, supported by dozens of private companies and volunteers. Contributors include Amazon, Microsoft, Verizon, and the U.S. military bands.
While NORAD’s primary mission is protecting North American airspace, officials say this holiday tradition serves as a reminder of the command’s reach and readiness.
For more details or to track Santa’s journey, visit NORADSanta.org or download the official app.
The Georgia Sun will also be making the Santa Tracker available on our website on Christmas Eve so Georgia children can know where the man in the red suit is at all times.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.