COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — As Santa and his elves load the final gifts onto their sleigh, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is getting ready to track the jolly old elf on his yearly trek through the night sky.
The NORAD Tracks Santa website went live on Dec. 1, with games, music, books, and videos for the enjoyment of children from ages 2 to 92 (and beyond). On Dec. 24, the countdown will turn to a live look at Santa's route across the world.
On Christmas Eve, trackers worldwide can call 1-877-HI-NORAD to ask live operators about Santa’s location from 6 a.m. to midnight MST. Also on Dec. 24, website visitors will see Santa’s flight from 4 a.m. to midnight MST.
NORAD has tracked Santa as he traverses the globe since 1955. Volunteers and NORAD satellites and radar monitor the location of Santa and his reindeer and count the presents he gives out throughout his global trip.
The official NORAD Tracks Santa app is available in the Apple App and Google Play stores, to count down the days until Santa’s journey on mobile devices. NORAD Tracks Santa will also be available on digital media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X, and on contributor platforms, Amazon Alexa, Bing, SiriusXM, and OnStar.