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Santa Claus global flight to deliver presents underway
Global Banking and Finance Review
Company
By Keith Coffman
Santa Claus took off early Christmas Eve aboard his reindeer-powered sleigh to deliver presents around the world.
That is according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), a joint-U.S. and Canadian military command at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs that for 69 years has provided a whimsical report tracking Father Christmas.
Tracking would have gone ahead even if the federal government had shut down, a crisis the U.S. Congress averted at the last moment this past weekend.
“Santa runs on the Christmas spirit so any possible government actions would not affect his mission,” said Royal Canadian Air Force Major Jennie Derenzis, a NORAD spokesperson, on Tuesday.
Military personnel at the base, which monitors air defenses and issues aerospace and maritime warnings, would have been happy to track Santa anyway, and the people who answer the phone lines for kids as part of the tradition are mostly civilian volunteers, Derenzis added.
The tradition started in 1955 when an advertisement in a Colorado Springs newspaper invited children to call in to speak to Santa. However, it inadvertently gave the phone number for the Continental Air Defense Command, NORAD’s predecessor.
An on-duty officer took calls from kids and assured them Santa, also known as Kris Kringle or St. Nick, was making his gift-giving rounds as scheduled.
The program improved along with tracking technology for all types of vessels.
Followers of the jolly old elf can obtain real-time updates at . The website features Santa’s North Pole Village, which includes a holiday countdown, games, a movie theater, holiday music, web store, and is available in multiple languages.
NORAD Tracks Santa is also available on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X, and platforms Amazon Alexa, SiriusXM and OnStar.
(Reporting by Keith Coffman in Denver; Editing by Donna Bryson and Richard Chang)
NORAD stands for North American Aerospace Defense Command, a joint U.S. and Canadian military organization responsible for aerospace and maritime warning and tracking, including the annual tracking of Santa Claus during Christmas.
Santa Claus, also known as Kris Kringle or St. Nick, is a legendary figure who is said to deliver gifts to well-behaved children on Christmas Eve, traveling in a sleigh pulled by reindeer.
Tracking Santa has become a beloved holiday tradition, allowing children and families to follow his journey around the world on Christmas Eve, fostering excitement and joy during the festive season.
The tradition of NORAD tracking Santa began in 1955 when a misprinted phone number in a newspaper led children to call the Continental Air Defense Command, which then started providing updates on Santa's location.
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