Community Corner

Follow Santa on Christmas Eve With NORAD

NORAD will be tracking Santa all night long; check out how you can follow along.

Waiting for Santa Claus to complete his journey around the world, delivering presents to all the boys and girls, is a test of patience for kids of every age.

Luckily, in the age of technology we live in today, wondering and guessing which rooftop Santa's eight tiny reindeer are headed to next is a thing of the past as the world can now keep tabs on the big guy by following the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) website, which for one night is dedicated to tracking Mr. Claus' coordinates.

The site is more than an enhanced GPS; it also contains a "Kids Countdown Village," which offers games, activities and other features for young ones who eager for Santa.

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According to its website, NORAD ha been tracking Santa for more than 50 years now, as did its predessor, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD).

The tradition bega in 1955, the website says, after a Colorado Springs-based Sears Roebuck & Co advertisement to call Santa misprinted the telephone number. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief's operations "hotline."

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Col. Harry Shoup, director of operations at CONAD, had his staff check the radar for Santa all night while he updated the kids who called in.

"Since that time, NORAD men, women, family and friends have selflessly volunteeed their time to personally respond to phone calls and emails from children all around the world," the website says.

And of course: "Media from all over the world rely on NORAD as a trusted source to provide updates on Santa's journey," the website says.


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