Volunteers at NORAD in 2016.
Credit: Dennis Carlyle
Military officials from the United States and Canada and volunteers will spend Christmas Eve tracking Santa as he makes his annual trip around the globe.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command, also known as NORAD, is marking their 61st year of keeping tabs on the jolly fellow who travels on a sleigh pulled by a group of reindeer.
Those looking to see where Santa is can log on to the NORAD Santa Tracker website and see his current location. A hot line staffed by volunteers is also open for those who wish to call in and find out where Santa is. The number is 1-877-Hi-NORAD (1-877-446-6723).
The NORAD Santa Tracker website features holiday games, music and video of Santa for kids to enjoy when they’re on the website.
In 2016, NORAD received more than 150,000 phone calls from kids looking to find out where Santa was at the time.
The NORAD Santa tracker started in the 1950s when a department store placed an advertisement in a Colorado Springs newspaper telling children to call Santa. The phone number printed with the print advertisement was wrong and directed callers to the command center for the agency that preceded NORAD, which is operated by the United State and Canada. A commanding officer instructed military personnel to tell the kids calling for Santa where he was at the moment. From there, the tradition has continued and grown over time.
The program is funded through corporate sponsorship and not taxpayer money, according to several reports.
