NORAD Tracks Santa
norad track santa annual christmasthemed program north american aerospace defense command norad simulates tracking santa claus said leave north pole travel around world mission deliver present child every year christmas eve program start december actual santatracking simulation start midnight annually december community outreach function norad held annually since although norad claim use radar technology track santa website merely simulates tracking santa display predetermined location information user program follows tradition september editorial yes virginia santa claus new york sun december united state air force issued communique claiming early warning radar net north detected one unidentified sleigh powered eight reindeer foot metre heading degree associated press passed report along general public first time united state armed force issued statement tracking santa claus sleigh christmas eve though onetime event repeated next several year program originated actual formation norad annual event december according legend sears department store placed advertisement colorado spring newspaper gazette told child could place call santa claus included number call allegedly came colorado spring continental air defense command conad center one digit misprinted version story call coming red telephone hotline connected conad directly command authority strategic air command colonel harry shoup crew commander duty answered first call supposedly told staff give child called later madeup current location santa claus shoup responded gruffly one child called additional santa clausrelated call came conad accurate description event appears november child trying reach santa hotline number provided sears advertisement misdialed number instead reached shoup desk conad however member shoups staff placed picture santa board used track unidentified aircraft december shoup saw public relation opportunity conad asked conads public affair officer colonel barney oldfield inform press conad tracking santa sleigh release press oldfield added conad army navy marine air force continue track guard santa sleigh trip u possible attack believe christmas following year legend annual event originated began change shoups version story gruff child instead identified santa claus spoke child phone shoup family later modified story adding child dialed red telephone—an impossibility hotline connected strategic air command enclosed cable one could dial outside—rather regular phone shoups desk misprint advertisement led child call rather child misdialing number flood call come child christmas eve rather one child november shoup intend repeat stunt oldfield informed associated press united press international awaiting report conad claiming tracking santa claus shoup agreed oldfield announce annual tradition born north america air defense command norad took reporting responsibility conad reporting became elaborate year passed december example norads northern command post sainthubert quebec canada provided regular update supposed sleigh operated claus identified undoubtedly friendly evening norad claimed sleigh made emergency landing ice hudson bay royal canadian air force rcaf interceptor aircraft claimed sent investigate supposedly discovered santa bandaging reindeer dancer front foot rcaf plane said escorted resumed journey eventually norad renamed north american aerospace defense command openly published hotline number general public call get update santa claus supposed progress norad relies volunteer make program possible volunteer handle telephone call per hour team typically handle email telephone call two hundred country territory contact happen twentyfive hour december mst december website called noradsantaorg established allow project access internet user norad simulate tracking santa sleigh also tell user exact amount present delivering moment christmas eve norad begin tracking mst even provides depiction santa predelivery ritual since december google analytics used analyze website traffic result analysis information program project scale volunteer staffing telephone equipment computer equipment need christmas eve volunteer include norad military civilian personnel norad answered phone call u canadian military personnel volunteered staff phone line volunteer staffed phone line despite shutdown u government december noradsantaorg website received million visitor norad announced would continue santa tracker despite covid pandemic would operate limited number volunteer answering call people try reach santatracking hotline would receive automated message depiction santa claus tracker showed wearing mask sleigh feature removed norad track santa program always made use variety medium telephone hotline newspaper radio phonograph record television many television newscast north america feature norad track santa part weather update christmas eve since program highly publicized internet presence mobile medium social medium become popular widespread method direct communication newer medium also embraced program layout norad track santa website web page changed present due change internet technology change partner sponsor particular year september norad started twitter account noradsanta part social medium presence people visited norad track santa site told could track santa google earth given link download google earth kmz file download tracking google earth app moved google earth web api norad santa website io android application introduced feature update interactive game similar christmas level angry bird season called elf toss midjanuary november one arrives norad track santa website one greeted message come back december track santa norad december one find norad track santa website feature available christmas eve norad track santa website video page generally updated hour midnight different time zone santa cam video show cgi image santa flying famous landmark video accompanied voiceover end season typically done norad personnel giving fact city country depicted voice over replaced music done u air force band voice over returned season celebrity voiceovers also used year london santa cam video jonathan ross voiceover ringo starr narrated video aaron carter provided voiceover three video since analytical graphic inc used cesium platform build map visualizing santa location accurate global terrain satellite imagery norad reported christmas logged million unique visitor website christmas eve volunteer answered call social medium twitter follower million like facebook year norad contracted bing map provide map tracking ending fiveyear contract google norad logged almost million visit santa tracker norad track santa relies corporate sponsorship financed neither american canadian taxpayer u military unit provided publicity program including northeast air defense sector new york air national guard u naval reserve navy information bureau nib fort carson colorado canadian armed force u federal agency national aeronautics space administration nasa national oceanic atmospheric administration noaa helped publicize service former first lady michelle obama participated program answering phone call according gerry bowler history professor university manitoba norad track santa program one modern addition centuriesold santa claus story stuck bowler stated program take essential element santa claus story—his travel christmas eve—and look technological lens therefore bringing santa claus legend modern era google santa tracker operation christmas drop annual u air force airdrop micronesia official website original website norad track santa santa news report holiday music selection lp archived august wayback machine produced norad directorate public affair