How to follow Santa Claus’ journey on Christmas Eve
How trying to phone Father Christmas led US military to launch its festive tracker
Children will once again be able to monitor Father Christmas’s progress this year thanks to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (Norad) festive tracker.
The interactive tool has been around for more than 60 years and allows users to follow Santa on his journey across the globe.
General Terrence O’Shaughnessy, commander of Norad and US Northern Command, said: “In addition to our day-to-day mission of defending North America, we are proud to carry on the tradition of tracking Santa as he travels along his yuletide flight path.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
What is the Norad festive tracker?
Norad “defends the airspace of America and Canada, and it was merely an accident that its now famous tracker was created”, says Kent Live.
The news website explains that a 1955 advert showing a telephone number for children to call Santa misprinted that number.
“Instead of reaching Santa, the phone number put kids through to Norad. 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 site adds.
Time magazine reports that the tracker goes live on 1 December every year, “spending the weeks leading up to Christmas educating children about geography”.
General O’Shaughnessy said: “In addition to our day-to-day mission of defending North America, we are proud to carry on the tradition of tracking Santa as he travels along his yuletide flight path, says the Evening Standard.
“The same radars, satellites and interceptors employed on December 24 are used year-round to defend Canadian and American airspace from threats.”
How far does Father Christmas fly?
The Telegraph reports that “every year on Christmas Eve, Santa sets off on his sleigh from Lapland with his trusty reindeer, travelling an estimated 510,000,000km – approximately 1,800 miles per second.
“Christmas Eve is a busy time for Father Christmas as he needs to visit 390,000 homes per minute – or 6,424 per second,” the paper adds.
How does Santa differ around the world?
“While Britons often picture Father Christmas to be a jolly character with a white beard, wearing a red suit and big black boots, other countries around the world visualise the beloved festive figure differently,” the Telegraph says.
It notes that in Belgium and the Netherlands, Santa is known as “Sinterklaas”, who wears a bishop’s alb and cape with a ruby ring and travels on a white horse, while in Russia, “Grandfather Frost” arrives on New Year’s Eve to deliver gifts.
Elsewhere, in France, “Pere Noel” rides a donkey called “Gui”, while in Finland, “Joulupukki” knocks on children’s doors on Christmas Eve to ask if they have behaved themselves.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
'Musk's reliance on China draws rising scrutiny'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Biba: the story of a 'legendary emporium'
The Week Recommends Brand's 60th anniversary is being marked with retrospective celebrating the 'iconic shop's cultural importance'
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
How the Russia-Ukraine conflict has spread to Africa
The Explainer Ukraine is attempting to strengthen its alliances on the continent to counter Russia's growing presence
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Nan who charges family for Christmas dinner puts up price
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Woman solves 'rude neighbour' mystery
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Office Christmas parties give us sleepless nights
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
'Dead' woman nearly suffocated in morgue bag
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
World's 'smelliest cheese' hits shelves
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
White Easter more likely than a white Christmas
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Puffed rice and yoga: inside the collapsed tunnel where Indian workers await rescue
Speed Read Workers trapped in collapsed tunnel are suffering from dysentery and anxiety over their rescue
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Gaza hospital blast: What the video evidence shows about who's to blame
Speed Read Nobody wants to take responsibility for the deadly explosion in the courtyard of Gaza's al-Ahli Hospital. Roll the tape.
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published