Military ‘tracks’ storybook flight of St. Nick for 60th year

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) have set up a special 3D map which shows the current position of Santa as he travels the globe.

More than 70,000 children still call NORAD to talk to Santa on a toll-free line – (877) HI-NORAD or (877) 446-6723 – and another 12,000 or so send e-mails to noradtrackssanta@outlook.com.

Level 3 Communications in Broomfield is using its computer network to support the trackers.

With the app, children can play games or listen to Christmas music while Mom and Dad run errands.

Will you be following Santa on the tracker this year, HollywoodLifers? Its website spells out this critical mission although it neglects to mention that it also tracks Santa Claus.

The tradition began completely by accident in 1955, when Sears department store misprinted a phone number in an advertisement it placed in a Colorado Springs newspaper, urging kids to dial Santa directly.

Another expected volunteer is first lady Michelle Obama, who will have calls forwarded to her on Christmas Eve.

If you ever wanted to know what a building looks like at Santa’s place, it looks a little like a hangar at Johnson County Executive Airport – just far cooler.

NORAD is now in its 60th year of tracking Santa Claus on his annual world-wide tour, but the technology by which it accomplishes this task continues to change with the times.

The tracking of Santa pre-dates the Internet age, and NORAD itself – and was quite accidental.

There sure exists a Santa who lives in Long Island instead of North Pole according to a Inside Edition article.

The heat from Rudolph’s nose helps NORAD keep an eye on the sleigh, it says.

“Santa Claus has a magical key to enter any house and once inside, because he already knows everyone’s name, he even knows the pass-code to any house that has an alarm”.

Volunteer Susan Murray – Elf Susie to callers – said some kids asked why she wasn’t out with Santa delivering.

Also new this year, the website features the NORAD Headquarters in the North Pole Village, and highlights of the program over the past 60 years.

A young Kansas City, Kan., cancer patient got to share in a Christmas Eve experience most kids only dream about.