NORAD Santa Tracker Up And Running On Christmas Eve

BOSTON (CBS) – A Christmas Eve tradition is up and running once again this year. Families can keep an eye on Santa's every move thanks to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) tracker.

The NORAD tracker is live for 2019, and will be running throughout Santa's journey.

This holiday tradition began in 1955. An advertising company in Colorado Springs misprinted the telephone number for children to call Santa, so instead of reaching Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief's operations hotline.

"The Director of Operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, had his staff check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole," the NORAD Santa website explains. "Children who called were given updates on his location, and a tradition was born."

In 1958 CONAD became NORAD, and the tradition has continued ever since.

Visit the NORAD Santa tracker website throughout the night.

In:
• Featured