 The emblem of NORAD Tracks Santa | |
| Contact information | |
|---|---|
| Status | Operational December 1–24 |
| Phone | 877-446-6723 |
| Website | https://www.noradsanta.org |
| Launch date | December 24, 1955 |
NORAD Tracks Santa is an annual Christmas-themed program in which North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) simulates[1] the tracking of Santa Claus, who is said to leave the North Pole to travel around the world on his mission to deliver presents to children every year on Christmas Eve.[2][3][4] The program starts on December 1, but the actual Santa-tracking simulation starts at midnight annually on December 24. It is a community outreach function of NORAD, and has been held annually since 1955.[2]
Although NORAD claims to use radar and other technologies to track Santa, the website merely simulates the tracking of Santa[5] and displays predetermined location information to users.
The program follows the tradition of the September 1897 editorial "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" in the New York Sun.[6][7]
- ^ Fiorillo, Chiara (December 22, 2023). "How to watch NORAD Santa Tracker following Father Christmas around the world". The Mirror. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
- ^ a b "Why we track Santa". NORAD. Archived from the original on December 24, 2011.
- ^ "NORAD is Ready to Track Santa's Flight" (Press release). Newsline 360. November 29, 2017. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
- ^ Hughes, Trevor (December 23, 2017). "All eyes to the skies to track Santa's Christmas Eve flight". USA Today. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
- ^ Fiorillo, Chiara (December 22, 2023). "How to watch NORAD Santa Tracker following Father Christmas around the world". The Mirror. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
- ^ "Is There a Santa Claus?". NORAD. December 2009. Retrieved December 31, 2009 – via Tobey.com.
- ^ "Yes Virginia ..." The Sun. New York. December 21, 2012. Archived from the original on June 16, 2017. Retrieved June 14, 2017.