Graphic credit to NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command)
As Christmas Eve arrives in Central Alberta, families eagerly await a special holiday tradition: NORAD’s (North American Aerospace Defense Command) annual mission to track Santa Claus.
While NORAD is known for defending North American airspace year-round, its mission becomes more festive on December 24.
The tradition of tracking Santa started by accident in 1955 when a young child dialled a misprinted phone number from a department store ad in the local newspaper.
Instead of reaching Santa, the child called the Continental Air Defense Command in Colorado Springs. Colonel Harry Shoup answered the call and assured the child they had reached Santa, and from there, a holiday tradition was born. The mission continued when NORAD was formed in 1958 and has delighted children and families ever since.
Today, NORAD’s annual tracking of Santa is a global event. Families in Airdrie can follow Santa’s journey online or through NORAD’s mobile app and social media platforms or by calling the NORAD Tracks Santa hotline.
Volunteers from North America answer over 130,000 calls each year, providing real-time updates on Santa’s location as he travels the globe.
In addition to the hotline and website, you can keep up with Santa via platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. NORAD’s Santa tracker is available through OnStar and Amazon Alexa for those who want to easily keep tabs on the jolly man in red this holiday season.
As of 6:42 this morning, Santa was spotted in Australia.
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