The Tradition of NORAD’s Santa Tracker: Celebrating 70 Years of Holiday Spirit

Seventy years ago, a simple holiday mix-up sparked a beloved Christmas tradition: NORAD’s Santa Tracker. That year, a child in Colorado Springs called the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) — then known as the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) — seeking Santa Claus and was helped by friendly military personnel to locate him as he flew around the globe.

How the Tradition Started

General Gregory Guillot, NORAD’s current commander, recounts that the Santa tracking story began by chance in 1955. An advertisement by Sears Roebuck included a phone number for kids to call Santa, but the ad mistakenly listed an unlisted NORAD number instead. A young child dialing that number reached Colonel Harry Shoup at NORAD. Instead of ending the call, the colonel decided to play along, instructing staff to check radar systems for Santa’s whereabouts.

The First Calls and the Birth of a Tradition

That Christmas Eve, Colonel Shoup and his team responded to multiple children’s calls, providing updates about Santa’s location, and thus, a tradition was born. Since then, NORAD has continued tracking Santa’s journey every year, using advanced technology to do so. Today, on its Santa Tracker website, NORAD proudly states it is “the only organization that has the technology, the qualifications, and the people” to follow Santa’s sleigh.

How NORAD Tracks Santa

NORAD employs a combination of tools and technologies used in aerospace defense:

• Ground-based radars from the North Warning System
• Infrared sensors aboard satellites over 22,000 miles above Earth
• NORAD fighter jets — including U.S. F-16s, F-15s, F-22s, F-35s, and Canadian CF-18s

While NORAD doesn’t have detailed knowledge of Santa’s route, they do monitor his typical schedule. He usually departs from the North Pole around 4:00 AM Mountain Time, heading west across the international dateline, zig-zagging north and south to deliver gifts worldwide. Santa typically arrives at individual homes between 9:00 PM and midnight local time, leading General Guillot to advise children to be in bed by 8:00 PM to ensure Santa doesn’t skip their house.

Why Santa Keeps a Low Profile

Since Santa’s route and schedule are part of his magical secret, NORAD can’t provide specifics or explain how Santa might upgrade his sleigh to evade detection. All they can confirm is that they successfully track him every year with their current equipment.

The Community Effort Behind the Tracking

Tracking Santa is a significant operation. Last year alone, NORAD received over 380,000 calls from around the world. To handle this, more than 1,000 volunteers, including military personnel, civilians, and community members, assist in responding to calls starting at 4 a.m. on Christmas Eve, when Santa departs from the North Pole.

How to Participate

Interested volunteers must be local to Peterson Space Force Base, as NORAD doesn’t accept remote volunteers. For those wishing to learn Santa’s location or contact NORAD directly, they can call +1-877-446-6723 during the hours of 4:00 AM to midnight on Christmas Eve. The Santa Tracker website also hosts live updates and a visual Santa tracker as the journey begins each year.

A Heartwarming Holiday Tradition

From its humble beginnings to an international holiday phenomenon, NORAD’s Santa Tracking has become a festive tradition that brings joy and wonder to millions. It’s a testament to the magic of Christmas and the spirit of giving that unites military personnel, volunteers, and families worldwide every holiday season.