What is NORAD Tracks Santa? The program explored as families watch Father Christmas’ trail across the world

The program to track Santa
The program to track Santa's movement was started by the North American Aerospace Defence Command (Image via Department of Defense)

Every Christmas Eve for the past 68 years, NORAD, or the North American Aerospace Defense Command, has tracked Santa Claus' worldwide gift-giving expedition. Thanks to the program, families all over the world can track Santa's whereabouts on Christmas Eve this year as well.

The program is a joint military agency of the United States and Canada that is in charge of maritime warning, aerospace control, and aerospace warning for North American defense. The agency warns of impending missile and air attacks, thereby contributing to the maintenance of North America's air sovereignty.

However, every year, it also tracks Santa's movement. Addressing the same, the official website asserts that it is the only organization in the world equipped and certified to track Santa. The post on their official webpage says,

“While the tradition of tracking Santa began purely by accident, NORAD continues to track Santa. We're the only organization that has the technology, the qualifications, and the people to do it. And we love it!”

There are multiple ways in which one can track Santa via NORAD

The department's official website has all the information regarding the program (Image via NORAD)
The department's official website has all the information regarding the program (Image via NORAD)

North American Aerospace Defence Command has been watching Santa for more than six decades with the use of fighter jets, powerful radar, and satellite technologies.

Families can actually see the father of Christmas travel around the South Pacific, Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas in 3D thanks to the program to track Santa. Google also provides live trackers that follow Saint Nick on his annual journey, which begins at the North Pole.

According to ABC 7 News, addressing the program, Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon Press Secretary, stated that tracking Santa as he travels the world is one of the program's extra special missions on Christmas Eve. This year marks its 68th year carrying out this crucial duty, and on December 24, kids and families from all over the world can call to ask the agency's live operators about Santa's whereabouts.

On Christmas Eve, or December 24, the map that follows Santa's journey around the globe can be used. It was created by the North American Aerospace Defense Command, which is the joint U.S.-Canada command that is in charge of policing the skies over both countries.

By installing this particular Santa Tracker app on an Android or iOS smartphone or by visiting the noradsanta.org website, interested people can learn about Santa's recent location, his forthcoming travels, and more.

Live coverage of tracking Santa's global journey will also be available on USA TODAY starting at around 7 a.m. ET on December 24. One can also follow the above-mentioned media agency's YouTube channel for the same.

Additionally, users can also follow the hashtag #NORADTracksSanta and the account @NoradSanta on X for updates. They can also follow Norad Tracks Santa on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Furthermore, for up-to-date information, they can also send an email to [email protected].

Moreover, Santa will also be able to enter the USA without any problems this year because the US Department of Agriculture has granted a transit pass. Reindeers are permitted to enter and exit the country through or over any U.S. border port between 6 p.m. on December 24 and 6 a.m. on December 25, local time.


The Santa tracker originated in 1955 when a Colorado newspaper ad included a phone number for kids to get in touch with Santa, but it accidentally led them to the military center's hotline.

Additionally, for almost 20 years, Google has also been operating the Santa Tracker, which lets visitors check Santa's current location, calculate how long it will take Santa to get there, browse images of the locations Santa has been, and more.

By visiting the official website at https://santatracker.google.com/, users can access the same.

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Edited by Somava
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