Track Santa

Want to watch Santa’s path as he makes his way across the globe? Check out the official NORAD Tracks Santa website. In case you don’t know what NORAD is:

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is a binational military organization formally established in 1958 by Canada and the United States to monitor and defend North American airspace. Using data from satellites and ground base radar, NORAD monitors, validates and warns of attack against North America by aircraft, missiles or space vehicles. NORAD also provides surveillance and control of the airspace of Canada and the United States.

This year marks their 50th year of tracking the red suited burglar. Check out the How we do it! page for info on the technology they use. They also offer downloads for the kids to play games or color (after printing, not on the screen :)).

What started this?

The tradition began after a Colorado Springs-based Sears Roebuck & Co. store advertisement for children to call Santa on a special “hotline” included an inadvertently misprinted telephone number. Instead of Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief’s operations “hotline.” The Director of Operations, Colonel Harry Shoup, received the first “Santa” call on Christmas Eve 1955. Realizing what had happened, Colonel Shoup had his staff check radar data to see if there was any indication of Santa making his way south from the North Pole. Indeed there were signs of Santa and children who called were given an update on Santa’s position. Thus, the tradition was born.

Excerpt taken from the NORAD Tracks Santa history page.

Merry Christmas everybody.

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other. – Burton Hillis

23.Dec.05 Government, Holidays