Bi-national Santa tracking operation marks 60 years

On Dec. 24, Christmas Eve, NORAD tracks Santa’s progress across the globe, helping anxious boys and girls know when they should be tucked away in bed.

Chouinard said also because of satellite systems, high-powered radar, jet fighters and our special Santa Cameras, visitors to the website on Christmas Eve can watch Santa make preparations for his flight and follow him as he makes his journey around the world.

Santa trackers start taking calls, telling children – and some adults – when Santa is due at their house.

First Lady Michelle Obama reacts while talking on the phone to children across the country as part of the annual NORAD Tracks Santa program.

The defense organization, headquartered at Peterson Air Force in Colorado, began getting ready for this year’s tracking session weeks ago.

The volunteers will also share Santa’s location on its website, plus Facebook and Twitter.

In recent years, NORAD’s Santa tracking efforts have grown.

On Christmas Eve 1955, Colonel Harry Shoup began receiving calls from kids asking to speak with Santa Claus.

For the last sixty years or so the North American Aerospace Defense Command or NORAD is keeping an eye on Santa so that little ones will know when he’s nearing.

Santa Claus is coming to town!

According to the Google Santa tracker, Santa is now over the Solomon Islands to the east of Papua New Guinea, 14,900 kms from Ireland – and moving fast.

But the children can not get the question of the night out of their minds: When will Santa Claus get here?

They can also send an email to noradtracksantaoutlook.com.

On the Santa tracking website, while kids wait for Santa, there are a number of fun activities from holiday music played by the U.S. Air Force Academy Band, to Santa and holiday themed games, videos about tracking Santa and more.

Along with dispatches and 1-877-HI-NORAD, kids can go to noradsanta.org to find out where Santa is and how many gifts have been delivered.