One of our favorite activities on Christmas Eve is to watch NORAD’s tracking of Santa on his worldwide trip. NORAD has been tracking Santa for over 50 years.

“The tradition began in 1955 after a Colorado Springs-based Sears Roebuck & Co. advertisement for children 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.” The Director of Operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, had his staff check 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.”

As of this writing, he’s in Japan. By the time he gets to Nova Scotia, its time for my kids to get to bed because we know that Santa won’t come if the they are awake. Visit NoradSanta.org to watch Santa’s trip by video and/or Google Earth, learn about Santa and NORAD, and find fund activities.


Here’s a clip of Santa’s departure this morning.