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NORAD Tracks Santa

Updated November 2026

Every Christmas Eve, millions of families follow Santa’s journey with NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command. The tradition has a surprising origin, and it is free to join. This guide explains how NORAD tracks Santa, how it started, how to follow him online or by phone, and how to make it fun for children.

What is NORAD Tracks Santa?

NORAD Tracks Santa is an annual Christmas Eve program in which NORAD, a United States and Canada organization that watches the skies for aircraft and other objects, shares Santa’s location. Families can follow the journey on the official website and app, on social media and by calling a phone line staffed by volunteers.

How it started in 1955

The tradition began in 1955, when a Sears advertisement printed a phone number for children to call Santa. The number was wrong and connected children to the Continental Air Defense Command, the predecessor of NORAD, in Colorado Springs. The officer on duty, Colonel Harry Shoup, kindly answered the calls and had his staff give updates on Santa’s location. When NORAD was formed in 1958 it continued the tradition, and it has done so every year since.

How NORAD says it tracks Santa

NORAD’s playful explanation says that it uses radar, satellites and fighter jets, which it also uses throughout the year to watch the skies. It says that satellites detect a signal from Rudolph’s nose and that pilots escort Santa through North America. It is a fun story for children and a gentle introduction to how radar and satellites work.

How to follow Santa on Christmas Eve

• Visit the official NORAD Tracks Santa website, noradsanta.org.
• Use the NORAD Tracks Santa app on a phone or tablet.
• Call 1-877-HI-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) to speak with a volunteer on Christmas Eve.
• Follow the program’s official social media accounts.

Check the website for the hours of the phone line and for when live tracking begins.

Make it a family tradition

Open the tracker after dinner and let children check where Santa is. Put a map on the table and mark the places he visits. Ask children to guess the next stop. Bedtime is easier when children know Santa only comes when they are asleep, a line NORAD itself repeats.

What children can learn

Tracking Santa is a gentle way to talk about time zones, geography and the idea that it is Christmas at different times in different places. Older children can look up the countries on the map and learn a greeting in each language.

Safety and scams

Use only the official NORAD Tracks Santa website and app. Look for the correct address and avoid copies that ask for personal details or payment. The official tracker is free to use.

Add a card to the fun

Make a card for a child with Santa’s picture using our free Christmas wish card maker, and tell them to watch Santa on the tracker. For other Santa ideas read how to write a letter to Santa.

Questions kids often ask

Children often ask how Santa gets in the house and how he moves so fast. A fun answer is that Santa has special magic that NORAD’s radar can see but cannot explain. Another favourite question is why Santa only comes when children are asleep. You can say that it is part of the magic, and NORAD itself says its research shows Santa arrives once children are asleep.

A quick timeline

• 1955: a misprinted phone number sends children’s calls to the Continental Air Defense Command in Colorado Springs.
• 1958: NORAD is formed and continues the tradition.
• Today: families follow Santa on the website, the app and the phone line each December 24.

Ideas for a Santa tracker party

Set up a big screen with the live map, make cookies for Santa and give each child a card with a place to guess. Let children count how many countries Santa visits before bedtime. For older children, add a quiz about time zones.

Frequently asked questions

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