Watch CBS News

Santa Trackers Break Records For Calls, Emails

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AP) -- NORAD says its Santa-tracking operation broke its own records for phone calls, emails and Facebook and Twitter followers on Christmas Eve.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command said Thursday that volunteers answered nearly 102,000 phone calls and more than 7,720 emails from children and adults asking about Santa's location.

NORAD Tracks Santa had nearly 1 million followers on Facebook and more than 101,000 on Twitter.

Its website had 18.9 million unique visitors in the month of December, also a record.

A free smart phone app available for the first time this year was downloaded a combined 1.4 million times from the Apple Store and Android Market.

More the 1,200 volunteers participated at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., NORAD's headquarters.

The operation has run every year since 1955.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.