NORAD Marks 70 Years of Tracking Santa Around the Globe
Hey everyone, let’s talk about a truly magical tradition that’s been running for seventy years: the NORAD Santa Tracker. On December 24, 2025, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, will once again track Santa Claus as he makes his way across the globe. It’s amazing to think this now-beloved holiday ritual actually started by accident back in 1955.
The story goes like this: a child tried to call Santa on a hotline advertised by a Sears store in Colorado, but accidentally dialed the wrong number. Instead of Santa, Colonel Harry Shoup of the Continental Air Defense Command, then known as CONAD, answered the phone. At first, he was a bit brusque with the child, but he soon realized that the public’s interest in Santa presented a clever way to draw attention to the air defense system protecting the United States from potential attacks over the North Pole during the Cold War.
Also Read:- Justin Hood’s Stunning World Championship Breakthrough Shakes Alexandra Palace
- Tesco Closing Times Today: What Shoppers Need to Know Before Heading Out
A few weeks after that fateful call, Shoup instructed his public-relations officer to let the news wire services know that CONAD was tracking Santa’s sleigh. Reporters loved it, and the tradition caught on. In 1957, the U.S. and Canada officially formed NORAD, and tracking Santa became a playful way to demonstrate how they could monitor objects coming from the North Pole, over the Arctic, and down to North America.
By 1960, NORAD was already posting updates on Santa’s journey. One memorable report even described Santa making an emergency landing on Hudson Bay because a reindeer was injured. Canadian fighter jets flew in to check, found the reindeer needing care, and once it was bandaged, escorted Santa on the rest of his flight. Over the years, these jets have often “intercepted” Santa’s sleigh, giving him a salute as he continues his magical journey.
Today, NORAD has grown into the North American Aerospace Defense Command, collecting critical data on Earth’s atmosphere, coastal waters, and intelligence. Yet, every Christmas Eve, the focus shifts to holiday magic. More than 1,000 U.S. and Canadian military personnel, civilian workers, and local volunteers near Colorado Springs answer over 100,000 calls from children around the world.
What started as a quirky way to familiarize Americans with Cold War defenses has evolved into a celebration of U.S.-Canadian friendship, imagination, and holiday cheer. For just one night a year, the serious world of defense systems, radar, satellites, and fighter jets is transformed into a magical experience for children everywhere. So, tonight, as Santa’s sleigh takes off, know that NORAD will be keeping track—just like they have for seventy years.
It’s a beautiful reminder that even in the most high-tech, high-stakes worlds, there’s always room for a little holiday magic.
Read More:
0 Comments