Santa Claus is coming to town, but where is he? In a festive tradition that spans 68 years, the joint US-Canadian military monitoring agency, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), is once again tracking Santa as he embarks on his worldwide journey to deliver presents on Christmas Eve.
The NORAD Santa Tracker
According to AFP, the NORAD Santa tracker, available on the interactive website www.noradsanta.org, offers a 3-D display of Santa and his reindeer on their supposed worldwide delivery route, allowing users to learn more about the various cities along the way.
The origins of this heartwarming tradition trace back to 1955 when a Colorado newspaper advertisement mistakenly printed a phone number that connected children with the military hotline rather than Santa's workshop.
To prevent disappointment, NORAD's director of operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, instructed his staff to check the radar and update children on Santa's whereabouts. Thus, a beloved holiday tradition was born.
This year, NORAD continues the tradition with a temporary call center at its Colorado headquarters, where volunteers answer children's questions about Santa's journey.
Even top-level US officials, including President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, joined in on the holiday spirit, participating in the Santa tracking calls with children and families across the country.
Minor Hiccup Along the Way
However, the festive excitement faced a minor hiccup when the tracker experienced technical difficulties. NORAD quickly reassured Santa enthusiasts on Facebook, saying, "Hey #SantaTrackers! We may be having a couple of technical difficulties with our tracking map, but #Santa is still flying! He is headed to Fiji next!"
An hour later, the technical glitch was resolved. Santa's journey, as portrayed by the NORAD tracker, kicked off with an otherworldly visit to the International Space Station orbiting Earth.
The sleigh then traveled across various regions, including Israel, southern Gaza, Africa, and even southward to Palmer Station, a research facility in Antarctica.
As Santa Claus continued his travels, NORAD reported that he had delivered approximately 100,000 gifts every second, accumulating an impressive total of 4.9 billion presents as of 0130 GMT Monday.
While spreading holiday cheer, it's worth noting that NORAD usually oversees aerospace and maritime control and warning operations, which include monitoring for missile launches.
This lighthearted note takes an amusing turn as NORAD playfully suggests that Santa Claus may want to keep the recent North Korean ICBM test in mind as he travels. The juxtaposition of festive celebrations and real-world considerations adds a distinctive element to the age-old tradition of tracking Santa Claus.
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