Santa Claus has embarked on his annual journey, spreading holiday cheer and delivering gifts to children on the ‘nice’ list. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is once again tracking Santa’s progress, a tradition they have upheld since 1955. This year marks the 68th anniversary of this festive monitoring.
NORAD’s tracking system, involving over 1,250 volunteers from the United States and Canada, utilizes satellites to follow Santa and his reindeer. The organization began tracking Santa’s flight following an incident in 1955 when a child mistakenly dialed CONAD, the predecessor to NORAD, after seeing an advertisement encouraging kids to call Santa. Colonel Harry Shoup, who was on duty, instructed his team to track Santa’s sleigh using their radar systems, thus beginning a cherished holiday tradition.
Now using satellites instead of radar, NORAD provides live updates on Santa’s location. As of 11:30 AM UK time, Santa was spotted over the Pacific Islands, nearing Christmas Day there. Impressively, Santa has maintained a perfect safety record throughout his centuries-long career.
For those interested in Santa’s sleigh, it measures 75 candy canes in length, 40 in width, and 55 in height, weighing 75,000 gumdrops at the start of his journey. This weight increases by 5,000 gumdrops due to ice and snow accumulation. Santa’s sleigh is reportedly the fastest vehicle in existence, capable of traveling “faster than starlight.” This incredible speed is necessary for Santa to deliver approximately 60,000 tons of gifts in one night.
NORAD describes Santa as approximately 5’7″ tall and weighing 260lbs, although this increases by 1,000lbs after he enjoys the various treats left for him worldwide. Interestingly, Santa is said to experience time differently, allowing him to deliver gifts efficiently between 9.00 PM and midnight across different time zones.
NORAD also notes that Santa only delivers gifts to sleeping children, moving on to another house if children are still awake and returning later.
You can follow Santa’s progress on this map.