This Christmas season marks nearly seven decades of the North American Aerospace Defense Command’s beloved tradition of tracking Santa Claus as he travels the globe in his reindeer-powered sleigh. What began as a simple holiday mishap in 1955 has grown into one of NORAD’s most recognizable and cherished community outreach programs.
NORAD officially begins tracking Santa early on December 24, the moment his sleigh departs the North Pole. While the command can follow his progress using radar systems and infrared satellites, officials stress that Santa’s exact route remains a mystery. “NORAD tracks Santa, but only Santa knows his route,” a senior official explained, adding that arrival times at individual homes cannot be predicted.
Over the years, Santa has been “intercepted” many times by NORAD fighter pilots as he crosses North American airspace. When that happens, pilots traditionally tip their wings in greeting and occasionally snap photos of the famous sleigh in flight. In addition to radar tracking, NORAD also operates “Santa cams” positioned in space, releasing short videos online almost hourly throughout Christmas Eve.
The NORAD Santa Operations Center becomes fully operational at 4 a.m. Mountain Standard Time on December 24. Children and families can call 877-446-6723 to speak directly with a Santa tracker who can provide real-time updates on Santa’s location. Phone operators remain on duty until midnight, answering calls from around the world.
More than 1,000 volunteers—made up of U.S. and Canadian service members, civilian employees, and local community participants—donate their time each Christmas Eve at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs, where NORAD is headquartered. Together, they answer hundreds of thousands of phone calls and messages from children eager to follow Santa’s journey.
The tradition traces its roots back to an accidental beginning in 1955, when a Sears Roebuck advertisement mistakenly printed the phone number for the Continental Air Defense Command, NORAD’s predecessor. When children began calling the highly secure operations center asking for Santa, Colonel Harry Shoup, the commander on duty, chose to play along rather than disappoint them. He instructed his staff to “check the radar” for Santa, unknowingly launching a holiday tradition that would span generations.
When NORAD was formally established in 1958, the organization chose to continue the Santa tracking mission. Over time, the program evolved from hand-drawn maps and chalkboards to sophisticated satellite tracking, interactive websites, mobile apps, and social media platforms. In 1997, NORAD launched its first official Santa tracking website, and partnerships with digital mapping services helped bring Santa’s journey to screens around the world.
As it approaches its 70th anniversary in 2025, NORAD Tracks Santa remains a unique blend of military technology and holiday magic. While NORAD’s primary mission is the aerospace and maritime defense of North America, this once-a-year tradition continues to connect millions of families worldwide—reminding them that even the most serious institutions can still make room for wonder.
