Every day of the year, NORAD defends North America using an all-domain and globally integrated approach to track everything that flies in and around Canada and the United States. On Dec. 24, NORAD added a special mission: tracking Santa.
Like many origin stories, NORAD’s mission to track Santa began by accident. In 1955 a young child, trying to reach Santa, dialed the misprinted phone number from a department store ad in the local newspaper. Instead of calling Santa, the child called the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) Operations Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Air Force Col. Harry Shoup, the commander on duty that night who answered the child’s phone call, was quick to realize a mistake had been made and assured the child he was Santa. After more incoming calls, Shoup assigned a duty officer to continue answering calls, and a tradition was born that continued when NORAD was formed in 1958.
Don't miss the Live Zoom Event at 10:00 am on December 21st, 2023
at The Children's Museum of Northeast Louisiana
This year Macaroni KID Monroe-West Monroe has partnered with The Children's Museum of Northeast Louisiana. They are excited to host the NORAD Tracks Santa Event. This Live Zoom Event will feature a representative from NORAD who will give firsthand information about NORAD and exactly how they track Santa on Christmas Eve. There will also be a Kids ONLY Q&A segment toward the end of the event. Admission is $6.00 per person to attend the event at the museum.
Each year since NORAD has dutifully reported Santa’s location on Dec. 24 to millions of children and families across the world. Because of the support, services, and resources generously provided by volunteers, our government, and corporate contributors, NORAD Tracks Santa has persevered for more than 68 years.
What started because of a typo has flourished and is recognized as one of the Department of Defense's largest community outreach programs.
Each year, the NORAD Tracks Santa Web Site receives several million unique visitors from more than 200 countries and territories around the world. Volunteers typically answer more than 130,000 calls to the NORAD Tracks Santa hotline from children across the globe. The website features games, stories, videos, and educational information about how Christmas is celebrated around the world.
We hope you will make this free family fun an annual tradition.
Phone Line: 1 (877) HI-NORAD
In addition to the phone line and website, children and the young-at-heart can track Santa through our mobile apps and our social media platforms:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
NORAD Tracks Santa Website
