Whether you're on Santa's "naughty" or "nice" list, you can use the NORAD Tracks Santa app to see where he is as he speeds around the globe delivering presents.
- Watch the days count down to Santa's flight on Christmas Eve
- Follow Santa's progress on December 24
- Play the game "Thin Ice" to help Santa's elves deliver presents
Here's how you can track Santa this year:
- iOS (for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch)
- Android
- Windows 10 app
- watch "Santa Cams" on the NORAD website
The Space Foundation has named NORAD Tracks Santa as one of its Certified Companies for "successfully bringing the myriad benefits of space technology into our everyday lives on Earth."
Here's why NORAD tracks Santa::
For 60 years, NORAD and its predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) have tracked Santa’s flight.
The tradition began in 1955 after a Colorado Springs-based Sears Roebuck & Co. advertisement misprinted the telephone number for children to call Santa. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief's operations "hotline." The Director of Operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, had his staff check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole. Children who called were given updates on his location, and a tradition was born.
In 1958, the governments of Canada and the United States created a bi-national air defense command for North America called the North American Aerospace Defense Command, also known as NORAD, which then took on the tradition of tracking Santa.
Since that time, NORAD men, women, family and friends have selflessly volunteered their time to personally respond to phone calls and emails from children all around the world. In addition, we now track Santa using the internet. Millions of people who want to know Santa's whereabouts now visit the NORAD Tracks Santa® website.
Hat tip: Apps, Like Elves, Help Make the Season Bright, New York Times, 9 Dec 2015
Resources:
• Official NORAD Tracks Santa website
• Alaskan NORAD Region prepares to track Santa for 60th year