NORAD's Santa Tracker: A Cold War Spirit-Lifter Revamped for Holiday Cheer
Tracking Santa Claus has become a nearly worldwide event, watched by children around the globe as he delivers presents while defying time. Instead of monitoring potential threats, as they typically do, volunteers at a facility in Colorado Springs field playful calls on Christmas Eve, answering questions like, "When is Santa coming?" and "Am I on the naughty or nice list?"
This tradition, which began in the pre-digital era, has persisted since the Cold War, long before ugly sweater parties and Mariah Carey classics. It continues to this day, even during government shutdowns, like during the one in 2018.
It all started in 1955 when a child made an accidental call to a secret hotline at the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD), a joint U.S. and Canadian effort to detect potential enemy attacks. Tensions rose with the Soviet Union, causing widespread anxiety about nuclear war. Air Force Col. Harry W. Shoup, upon answering an emergency line, received a tiny voice reciting Christmas wishes. When the child couldn't understand that the number they dialed was wrong, Col. Shouprespond, adopting a deep, jolly voice, pretending to be Santa Claus.
This phone call led to a flurry of subsequent calls, coming in at the rate of 50 a day, according to Col. Shoup. In order to boost morale for the troops and the public, a staff member drew Santa and his sleigh on a map of North America, and the tradition was born.
The accuracy of the origin story has been questioned by journalists, with some saying that it was a misprinted Sears number or a misdialed call. Despite this uncertainty, Col. Shoup's children claimed that it was a misprinted Sears ad that brought about the calls. In 2018, NORAD's tracking was unaffected by a government shutdown, and the agency's annual Santa tracking tradition continues to this day, with specialized fighters jets, radar, and satellites following Santa's festive voyage.
- The tradition of tracking Santa Claus, initially started as a misdialed call to a secret hotline at the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) in 1955, has since evolved into an annual event monitored by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).
- Contrary to popular belief, the exact origin of the Santa tracking tradition is shrouded in controversy, with some claiming it was a misprinted Sears ad, while Col. Shoup's children asserted it was a misdialed call.
- Despite occasional events like government shutdowns, such as the one in 2018, the Santa tracking tradition continues, utilizing advanced technology like specialized fighter jets, radar, and satellites to ensure Santa's safe and timely journey is meticulously tracked and documented in the gazette and general-news outlets.
