NORAD will be tracking Santa Claus on his mission to deliver everyone’s presents this Christmas Eve – here’s how you can follow his progress as he rides across the world on his sleigh
December 25 is nearly upon us – and thanks to the wonders of modern technology, you’ll soon be able to track Father Christmas as he delivers presents to boys and girls around the world.
Each day of the year, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) tracks everything that flies above the skies of Canada and the United States. But on Christmas Eve, the command centre also takes on the very special mission of monitoring Santa’s progress around the world, making sure he has every single present placed under the tree by morning. Here’s everything you need to know about how you can track Santa this year:
How do I use the NORAD Santa tracker?
Children – and grown-ups – can follow Santa’s sleigh across the world mile-by-mile by visiting the NORAD Santa Tracker website. The Mirror will also be running our very own Santa tracker live blog, so make sure to check back here on Christmas Eve for all the very latest news on his journey.
When does Father Christmas set off?
Santa begins his trip from the North Pole, where he lives with Mrs Claus and the elves who make toys and take care of his reindeer all year round.
It added: “Each year on December 24th, Santa and his reindeer launch from the North Pole very early in the morning for their famous trip around the world. The minute they launch, NORAD starts to track him!”
His first stop will be the Republic of Kiribati, a tropical collection of islands in the South Pacific. He then usually travels west, delivering presents to kids in New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Asia, Africa, Western Europe, Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Central and South America.
How does it track him?
NORAD says it uses a combination of radar and satellites to monitor Santa’s progress on Christmas Eve. Its powerful radar is named the North Warning System, and has 47 installations strung across Canada’s North and Alaska.
Once the radar shows he has left the North Pole, it uses special defence satellites to keep track. Its website explains: “The moment our radar tells us that Santa has lifted off, we begin to use the same satellites that we use in providing air warning of possible missile launches aimed at North America.”
Its website also states that fighter jets have “intercepted Santa many, many times”, adding: “When the jets intercept Santa, they tip their wings to say, ‘Hello Santa. Norad is tracking you again this year’. Santa always waves.”
NORAD’s Santa tracking mission began by accident back in 1955, when the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) received a phone call from a young child who was trying to reach Santa and had dialled a misprinted phone number from a department store advert in the local newspaper. The command centre has operated a special mission dedicated to tracking Father Christmas every year since.
