The military command responsible for protecting North American airspace has an important duty on Christmas Eve — following Santa's travels around the world.
Children around the world can track the arrival of Santa Claus by following his movement on the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) website or app.
Santa has been dutifully delivering gifts to children around the world after taking off from the North Pole on Christmas Eve, the NORAD tracker shows.
By late Christmas Eve in Europe and early Sunday in the US, NORAD's tracker showed Santa as having delivered billions of gifts in various countries around the world. For Santa's precise location and the gift counter updated in real time, you can access NORAD's website here.
NORAD, which is responsible for protecting the skies over the US and Canada, has been tracking Santa's journey since 1955.
US Air Force Col. Elizabeth Mathias, the chief spokesperson of NORAD, said the command uses the same technology used "every single day" to keep North American skies safe. "We're able to follow the light from Rudolph's red nose."
Children can also call a number directly to NORAD staff members who provide updates on Santa's location.
The origins of tracking Santa
According to NORAD, the tradition began when a local newspaper advertisement informed children they could call Santa directly — only the contact number was misprinted.
Instead of reaching Santa, the phone rang through to the crew commander on duty at the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center, the predecessor to NORAD. Answering it was US Air Force Colonel Harry Shoup.
Shoup was quick to realize the mistake that had been made and assured the child he was Santa. He then assigned a duty officer to continue answering calls.
In doing so, a holiday tradition was born, which NORAD has continued to this day.
This is the 68th year that volunteers, some 1,1000 this year, are going to help answer calls in dedicated operations center at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs.
"It's a bit of a bucket list item for some folks," says Mathias, calling the operations center "definitely the most festive place to be on December 24th."
This report was written in part with material from the Associated Press.
Source: Dw
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