But on Christmas Eve, even North America’s most advanced military tracking systems home in on a rather unusual target: an sleigh and eight reindeer, followed by a bright red nose. Every year for 70 years, this unusual target has given way to a much-loved holiday tradition, begun by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and its predecessor, in which families around the world have tracked the route of Santa Claus.
1. A Tradition Born from a Wrong Number
This tradition started back in 1955 when the predecessor of NORAD was alerted due to the possible attack by nuclear missiles. A call came from a child asking for Santa. Colonel Harry Shoup decided not to let the kid down and responded with the Santa character. He said, “Ho, ho, ho! I am Santa,” and asked his personnel to keep him posted about Santa’s position. This incident is believed to have been triggered by the misprint number in the ad published by the company named Sears in the local newspapers. This was the start of something great that would be carried out by more than 1,000 volunteers every year.
2. From Cold War Bunker to Festive Command Center
NORAD had its facility inside Cheyenne Mountain to withstand any nuclear attack. Today, its hangar at Peterson Space Force Base is decorated with Christmas decorations every year. The facility is home to NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center. The volunteers from NORAD answer calls from children all across the world. The calls total up to hundreds of thousands every year. They inform children about Santa’s whereabouts while giving them an assurance that he will arrive when they are asleep.
3. The Technology Behind the Magic
NORAD utilizes the same system that tracks activity over North America all year long. It is the North Warning System radar system that realizes when Santa leaves Earth from the North Pole. There are satellites that are placed 22,300 miles away from Earth to track Rudolph’s glowing red button, which is like detecting missiles.
Fighter planes are positioned to escort Santa through North America to make his route unobstructed.
4. Following Santa’s Global Route
Santa’s path takes him from the International Date Line over the Pacific Ocean, then on to the South Pacific, Australia, and finally Asia. He zigzags his way around the Near East, Africa, and then Europe before heading off into Canada and then on to the U.S.A., Mexico, and Central and South America. According to NORAD, “Santa’s track can be erratic, and only Santa knows his route.” Tracking Santa’s journey is possible on NORAD’s interactive map on line or by dialing in on the hotline for current location information.
5. Heartwarming Calls from Around the World
The hotline provides an opportunity that is full of touching and even comedic stories. Colonel Kelly Frushour remembered a little girl concerned that Santa was probably en route to the International Space Station, where some of the astronauts had been stranded. “Thankfully, by the time that call ended, Santa Claus had moved on to another location,” she said. Michelle Martin, who served in the Marine Corps, told of a man named Henry who has special needs and makes calls every year, asking about leaving a message from pilots that he is in bed. Santa “travels faster than starlight,” she said.
6. Presidential Participation
Even United States presidents have participated in this tradition. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump also took calls from children, trying to reassure them that Santa was on his way, with President Trump also trying to assure children, “We’re not infiltrating into our country a bad Santa.” A child asked for “not coal” for Christmas, and President Trump jokingly talked about “clean, beautiful coal” before agreeing that she wanted toys.
7. Expanding Access to the Tradition
For the first time, people calling from outside North America are able to track Santa via the NORAD Tracks Santa Website. The service’s multi-lingual announcements, together with its interactive map, have made it an international sensation. Last year, on Christmas Eve, NORAD received some 380,000 phone calls and more than 2.3 million website visitors.
8. A Blend of Heritage and Innovation
“We were on a Cold War-era command center, where NORAD’s primary mission was the detection of radar tracks and the surveillance of the skies,” Wattles remembers. Today, the ‘Santa Mission’ meshes military know-how with the magic of Christmas. “We have that same responsibility today as we try to manage Christmas Eve for families around the globe,” Bergum says. “Families can share the event, the excitement of Christmas Eve, by using the latest aerospace capabilities available today.”
A military organization’s connection to the civilian population “remains a crucial part of the military’s mission,” Kale tells Govcio. In our case, we have the opportunity to show a lighter, more personal side during the holiday season when While the sleigh moves across continents and oceans with a red beacon light, millions of eyes follow the map, waiting for updates, holding on to a tradition born out of a surprise phone call long ago.
