
It’s back! In what has become an annual ritual for millions on Christmas Eve, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, is tracking Santa Claus’s journey from the North Pole to deliver gifts to children across the globe.
NORAD’s Santa Claus tracker website — NORADSanta.org — includes a map that allows users to track Santa’s location in real time. The site attracts tens of millions of visitors every year.
Beginning at midnight on Christmas Eve, the site utilizes satellite mapping technology and digital animation to simulate the route of Santa’s reindeer and sleigh.
The tracker also features a live count of gifts delivered by Jolly Old St. Nick. At the time of this publication, that figure was more than 1.3 billion.
NORAD’s history of tracking Santa
The practice began in 1955 when a child accidentally called the unlisted number of what was then the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center, asking for Santa Claus.
Not wanting to disappoint the young caller, Air Force Col. Harry Shoup, the command center’s director of operations, “instructed his staff to check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole,” according to NORAD. Each year since, NORAD has dutifully reported Santa’s location on Dec. 24 to millions of children and families.
The binational military organization, based in Colorado Springs, Colo., eventually enlisted volunteers to answer a dedicated phone line to give updates on Santa’s whereabouts. In recent years, those volunteers have included pop stars, presidents and first ladies.
And the hotline still exists: You can call 877-HI-NORAD (877-446-6723) to reach one of the call center’s operators. (President Trump is scheduled to field NORAD Santa calls from Palm Beach, Fla., on Wednesday afternoon.) Last Christmas Eve, it logged more than 300,000 calls.
Just don’t ask when Santa will arrive at your house.
“NORAD tracks Santa, but only Santa knows his route, which means we cannot predict where and when he will arrive at your house,” the organization explains on its FAQ page. “We do, however, know from history that it appears he arrives only when children are asleep!”
LATEST POSTS
- 1
Disability rights activist and author Alice Wong dies at 51 - 2
Exhaustive Experiences into Prudent Senior Living in the UK - 3
ISS astronaut evacuation shouldn't interfere with upcoming Artemis 2 moon mission, NASA chief says - 4
Bruno Mars tour 2026: How to get tickets for 'The Romantic Tour,' presale times, prices and more - 5
Space station changes command, setting stage for Crew 11 departure
Rick Steves Recommends This German Town's Castle Hotel With Rhine River Views
Christmas 2025 skywatching guide: What you can see in the night sky on Dec. 25
The Leonid meteor shower is peaking early this week. Here’s what to know
Greenland’s melting ice and landslide-prone fjords make the oil and minerals Trump is eyeing dangerous to extract
Find the Lively Food Markets of South America
Geminid meteors streak under green sky | Space photo of the day for Dec. 19, 2025
The 15 Most Powerful Forerunners in Business
David Duchovny's new thriller has him stripping down at 65. But its chilling premise hits close to home.
Reports: Germany plans expansion of foreign intelligence powers













