While the organization—a partnership between Canada and the United States—is responsible for overseeing the safety of North American skies by tracking everything flying around the two countries, during December, its priorities become a little more joyous. According to the NORAD website, the organization has helped families track Santa for over 60 years—and this year is no different. Starting on Christmas Eve, when Santa’s little helpers alert NORAD that he’s taken to the skies, families can track his sleigh as he makes deliveries across the globe throughout the night via the NORAD website. Until then, the NORAD Santa tracking site, which is set to launch on Dec. 1, can be a source of wholesome information about the organization and its Santa tracking system. “NORAD Tracks Santa traces its origins back to 1955, when a young girl dialed up the director of combat operations at what is modern-day NORAD’s predecessor, Continental Air Defense Command, believing she was calling to speak with Santa Claus,” stated the NORAD Tracks Santa Program Manager. Lt. Sean Carter in a press release. “The phone number in a local advertisement was misprinted, and that was the difference between calling the Santa hotline and calling the desk of the combat operations director.” The organization also offers a phone line to help track good ol’ Saint Nick and his reindeer. The phone line will remain open for 23 hours starting on Christmas Eve and will offer a play-by-play of Santa’s progress and so much more. Last year, the Santa Tracker phone line fielded over 53,000 calls from curious kids and their families—a dent in the organization’s pre-COVID peak where cheery volunteers helped take over 150,000 phone calls from anxious little ones all over the globe. More News:
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