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The magic of Christmas Eve often brings with it a unique question for children and adults alike: Where is Santa?
For 70 years, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has provided the answer, turning its Cold War-era mission of monitoring the skies for threats into a beloved tradition of tracking St. Nick’s global journey.
Now millions of people look at this jolly figure Asked to distribute gifts around the world.
it Christmas EveMore than 1,000 dedicated volunteers will staff 1-877-HI-NORAD The hotline operates from 4 a.m. to midnight Mountain Standard Time, ready to take calls from curious Santa-seekers.
Some children, upon hearing that Santa will not come if they have not slept, drop the phone, while others simply wonder if St. Nick will be able to find them.
For the first time, people outside North America can also call in through the program’s website, which offers real-time visits from Santa in nine languages, including English and Japanese.
In 2024, about 380,000 calls came into the Christmas-decorated hangar at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs, home of NORAD.
While Santa poses no threat, the same sophisticated combination of radar, satellites and jets that enables NORAD’s year-round mission has been deployed to track his progress.
NORAD spokesman Colonel Kelly Frushore said tracking begins exactly at the International Date Line. pacific ocean,
Rudolph’s distinctive, glowing nose emits a heat signature similar to that of a missile, which NORAD’s advanced satellites easily pick up, he said.
The hotline often leads to heartfelt and entertaining conversations. Colonel Frushour recalled a memorable call last year from a young girl who was worried that Santa was going straight to International Space StationWhere two astronauts were reportedly stranded.
“Thankfully, by the time the call ended, Santa Claus “It was moved to another destination and the child was reassured that Santa was not stuck in space and that he would reach his home that evening,” Frushear said.
Michelle Martin, a NORAD employee and Marine veteran, shared another touching story involving Henry, a man with special needs who makes the faithful call every year. He once asked sincerely if the jet pilot carrying Santa to North America could leave a note for St. Nick, confirming that Henry was safely in bed.
Martin said Santa travels “faster than starlight.”
He recalled her telling him, “I don’t know if our pilot would be able to catch him that fast. He just waves and goes away.”
This cherished tradition began in 1955 with a delightful, yet accidental mistake. NORAD’s predecessor, Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD), was then on high alert for any sign of a possible nuclear attack.soviet union,
A child accidentally called the war operations center and asked to speak directly to Santa ClausCommander on duty, air force Not willing to be discouraged, Colonel Harry Shoup immediately instructed his staff to keep an eye on Santa and take calls from other children.
It is believed that the initial phone call was caused by either a misprint or misdial of the number included in a Sears advertisement in a Colorado Springs newspaper that encouraged children to call Santa.
This legend evolved as the first call came to a dedicated hotline that connected command to the general in the event of an attack. However, atlantic In 2015 the magazine cast doubt on the notion of a “flood of calls” on a secret line, suggesting that a public phone line was more likely and noting Colonel Shoup’s renowned talent for public relations.
In an interview with The Associated Press in 1999, Shoop recalled his reaction after apparently realizing what was happening, saying to the first caller, “Ho, ho, ho, I’m Santa.” He added, “The crew was looking at me like I’d lost it.”
After this he immediately instructed his staff about what was happening and asked them to play along.
Although the exact date of that momentous first call remains unclear, by December 23 of that same first year, The Associated Press It was reported that CONAD was actually tracking Santa’s progress.
CONAD soon evolved into the North American Aerospace Defense Command, which once operated inside the nearby Cheyenne Mountain Complex.
This formidable network of tunnels was built from the mountain’s hard granite, specifically designed to allow NORAD officials to survive a nuclear attack, the exact opposite of its current ceremonial role.
From Cold War-era misdial to global festive phenomenon, NORAD’s Santa Tracking Service is bringing immense joy and lasting magic to millions of people around the world, proving that even the most serious organizations can wholeheartedly embrace the Christmas spirit.