In the framework of its long-term Christmas tradition, the US-Canadian Military Observation Agency, known as the North American Aerospace Defense Command (Norad), is once again tracking the location of Santa Claus. This annual endeavor aims to help children around the world find out when Santa’s sled, drawn by reindeer and filled with gifts, will arrive in their city.
Through the interactive website www.noradsanta.org, users can follow Santa’s route across the globe and gather information about the various cities he visits along the way.
This tradition originated in 1955 when a newspaper advertisement led children to call a military hotline instead of Santa Claus. To avoid disappointing the children, the head of Norad operations at the time ordered his staff to track Santa’s location using radar and provide updates to the eager young callers. Now, after 68 years, Norad continues the tradition by setting up a temporary call center at its headquarters in Colorado to answer children’s exciting questions.
Joining in the festive events, US President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden also participated in Santa trackers organized by Norad. This added touch of holiday joy brings families together throughout the country.
Santa Claus embarked on his journey from the space station and made his way back to Earth. His route took him across Israel, Africa, and down to the Palmer Research Station in Antarctica. From there, he headed through South America before reaching the United States. During his journey, he distributed an astonishing 100,000 gifts per second, totaling approximately 4.9 billion gifts so far.
When Santa Claus is not busy delivering presents, Norad’s primary responsibilities involve control and warning operations in airspace and sea space, including tracking missile launches from hostile countries. This unique event provides a fascinating combination of military precision and children’s imagination. It emphasizes the importance of joy and miracles during the holiday season, demonstrating the harmonious blend of technology and time-honored traditions.