NORAD — the North American Aerospace Defense Command — is ready to track Santa’s around-the-world flight on Dec. 24, 2023, for the 68th year.
The NORAD Tracks Santa website, which launched on Dec. 1, features Santa’s North Pole Village, which includes a holiday countdown, games, movie theater, holiday music, web store, and more.
The website is available in nine languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Chinese and, new this year, Korean.
The official NORAD Tracks Santa app is also in the Apple App and Google Play stores, to count down the days until Santa’s journey on mobile devices.
“NORAD has been tracking Santa since 1955 when a young child accidently dialed the unlisted phone number of the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) Operations Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, believing she was calling Santa Claus after seeing a promotion in a local newspaper.
Air Force Colonel Harry Shoup, the commander on duty that night, was quick to realize a mistake had been made, and assured the youngster that CONAD would guarantee Santa a safe journey from the North Pole.”
“ Sure enough, there it was, right next to jolly old Saint Nick: The red phone number and an invitation to “Call me on my private phone and I will talk to you personally any time day or night.” And ironically, the ad advised, “Kiddies, be sure and dial the correct number.”
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