For more than 70 years, the command that defends North American airspace has added one more flight to its watch on Christmas Eve: that of Santa’s sleigh.  Each Christmas Eve, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) tracks Santa's flight from the North Pole, and military volunteers answer calls and messages from children who want to know when he will reach their house. 

The tradition began with a Cold War phone call and a colonel who decided to play along, and families across our nation and around the world have followed Santa with NORAD ever since.

How a Wrong Number Started a Christmas Tradition

In 1955, a Sears store in Colorado Springs ran a newspaper advertisement that invited children to call Santa and printed a telephone number for them to dial. Accounts differ on whether the newspaper misprinted the number or a child misdialed it, but at least one call reached the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD), where Colonel Harry Shoup served as director of operations. According to the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, the little voice on the line asked Shoup whether he was Santa Claus.

Shoup played along, and he had his staff check the radar for signs of Santa heading south from the North Pole. The next year, news reporters called to ask whether Shoup's team planned to track Santa again, and CONAD confirmed it would. In 1958, the United States and Canada created NORAD as a joint air defense command for North America, and NORAD took over the tradition.

Who Tracks Santa Today

NORAD service members, along with their families and friends, volunteer their time each Christmas Eve to answer phone calls and emails from children all over the world, and they run the operation from the NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs. NORAD has also described how Canadian fighter pilots flying CF-18s take off from Newfoundland to welcome Santa to North America, while American fighter pilots in F-15s, F-16s, or F-22s fly alongside him over the United States.

How to Follow Santa on Christmas Eve

In recent years, NORAD has opened a countdown to Santa's flight at noradsanta.org on December 1st and has invited children to call 1-877-HI-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) beginning at 4:00 a.m. Mountain time on December 24th to speak with a volunteer. 

Families can also follow Santa's progress online, through NORAD's social media accounts, and by email or live chat. 

Other Dates to Know in December

Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day: Monday, December 7th

This year marks the 85th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941, after which our nation entered World War II. Read more in our article on [Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day 2026](link to come).

The National Guard's 390th Birthday: Sunday, December 13th

The National Guard traces its birthday to December 13th, 1636, when the Massachusetts Bay Colony organized its militia into three permanent regiments, according to the National Guard. Units descended from those first regiments still serve in the Massachusetts Army National Guard and are the oldest units in the U.S. military.

National Wreaths Across America Day: Saturday, December 19th

Volunteers will gather at more than 5,500 locations in all 50 states, at sea, and abroad to lay wreaths on Veterans' graves, under this year's theme of "Remember Me." Anyone can volunteer at a local cemetery or sponsor a wreath through Wreaths Across America.

The Space Force's Seventh Birthday: Sunday, December 20th

The U.S. Space Force, our newest military branch, marks seven years since its establishment on December 20th, 2019.

Celebrate Next Christmas in a Home of Your Own

If you're hoping to spend next Christmas in a home of your own, read more about how you can use your VA home loan benefit to buy a home.

FAQs

When does NORAD start tracking Santa?

NORAD tracks Santa's flight on Christmas Eve, December 24th. In recent years, NORAD has opened its online countdown at noradsanta.org on December 1st and has started taking phone calls at 4:00 a.m. Mountain time on December 24th.

What number do you call to track Santa?

The number is 1-877-HI-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) and can be called on Christmas Eve to speak with a NORAD volunteer about Santa's location.

Why does NORAD track Santa?

The tradition began in 1955, when a child trying to reach Santa through a Sears newspaper ad called the Continental Air Defense Command instead. Colonel Harry Shoup played along, and NORAD has carried on the tradition since its creation in 1958.