NORAD’s Endearing Tradition: 68 Years of Tracking Santa’s Journey

For the 68th consecutive year, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), in collaboration with Canada, continued its heartwarming Christmas tradition of tracking Santa Claus’s journey across the globe. The interactive website, www.noradsanta.org, displayed Santa and his reindeer on their whimsical delivery route, allowing users to explore and learn more about the various cities on the festive itinerary.

The origins of this charming tradition trace back to 1955 when a Colorado newspaper’s Santa hotline mix-up directed children to NORAD’s military nerve center. In a delightful response, NORAD’s director of operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, decided to check the radar and update kids on Santa’s location.

Now, 68 years later, NORAD continued the tradition, maintaining a temporary call center at its Colorado headquarters to respond to children’s inquiries and keep the magic of Christmas alive.