The US-Canada military center continued its tradition of tracking Santa’s worldwide journey, helping children locate his present-filled sleigh. NORAD’s 3-D interactive website allowed users to follow Santa’s route. What started as a mistake in directing children to a military hotline has transformed into a beloved Christmas tradition for 68 years. Dignitaries, including President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, joined the festive event.
WASHINGTON: A joint US-Canadian military monitoring agency continued this year its decades-long Christmas tradition of tracking Santa’s whereabouts, helping children around the globe find out when his reindeer-powered, present-filled sleigh would be coming to town.
A 3-D, interactive website at www.noradsanta.org showed Santa Claus and his reindeer on their imagined worldwide delivery route, allowing users to click and learn more about the various cities along the way.
The Santa tracker presented by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) dates to 1955, when a Colorado newspaper advertisement printed a phone number to connect children with Santa but mistakenly directed them to the hotline for the military nerve center.
To avoid disappointing the little ones, NORAD’s director of operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, ordered his staff to check the radar to see where Old Saint Nick might be and update the children on his location.
When not spreading holiday cheer, NORAD conducts aerospace and maritime control and warning operations.
Sixty-eight years later NORAD was continuing its tradition of setting up a temporary call center out of its Colorado headquarters to answer children’s burning questions.
A photo posted by the group on Facebook showed rows of people answering phones, some in uniform and others wearing red caps.
Some top-level US dignitaries — namely President Joe Biden and wife Jill Biden — joined in on the holiday action.
“This evening, the President and First Lady participated in the North American Aerospace Defense Command Santa tracking calls with children and families across the country,” the White House said in a statement.
Earlier Sunday the tracker went down for a short while, leaving children in the Pacific region in the dark about his exact position.
“Hey #SantaTrackers! We may be having a couple of technical difficulties with our tracking map, but #Santa is still flying! He is headed to Fiji next!” the group which runs the tracker said on its Facebook page, before announcing a fix one hour later.
Father Christmas had begun his journey with an out-of-this-world first stop, according to NORAD: the International Space Station orbiting Earth.
The reindeer-pulled sleigh was also seen traversing Israel as well as flying over southern Gaza, criss-crossing Africa, and venturing southward to Palmer Station, a research facility in Antarctica.
Santa then headed up through South America, bound for the United States as he unloaded approximately 100,000 gifts every second.
Around 10:00 pm local time (0300 GMT), Kris Kringle and his reindeer were spotted entering US airspace near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, before continuing their journey across the rest of the country — with nearly 5.5 billion presents, and counting, delivered worldwide.
This year marks the 68th anniversary of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) tracking Santa Claus’ journey on Christmas Eve. What started as a simple misprinted phone number in a department store advertisement in 1955 has evolved into a cherished tradition, bringing joy and wonder to children and families around the world. NORAD’s commitment to this annual endeavor is a testament to the spirit of giving and community that defines the holiday season. The dedicated men and women at NORAD stand ready to provide real-time updates on Santa’s whereabouts, utilizing cutting-edge technology and radar systems to ensure that children everywhere can follow his magical journey. While the tracking him is a lighthearted and joyful activity, it also underscores the important mission of NORAD in protecting the airspace and defending the United States and Canada. This year, as we eagerly anticipate Santa’s arrival, let us also take a moment to appreciate the dedication and service of the personnel at NORAD, who work diligently to make this heartwarming tradition possible. From all of us at [Your Company/Name], we wish you a festive and joyous holiday season, filled with the warmth of tradition and the spirit of giving.
Source: ARY NEWS
Keywords: NORAD, Santa tracker, Christmas tradition, US-Canadian military, children, Santa’s whereabouts, interactive website, holiday cheer, call center, President Joe Biden, technical difficulties, global journey, presents
Summary:
NORAD’s Santa tracker, a cherished Christmas tradition, continued its 68th year of helping children worldwide follow Santa’s journey. The interactive website allowed users to track Santa’s global delivery route, while a temporary call center at NORAD’s headquarters answered children’s questions. The President and First Lady participated in the tracking calls, embodying the holiday spirit. Despite brief technical difficulties, Santa’s journey from the International Space Station to the United States was closely monitored, with billions of presents delivered globally. This heartwarming tradition brought joy to countless children as they eagerly awaited Santa’s arrival.
Disclaimer:
This content is AI-generated using IFTTT AI Content Creator. While we strive for accuracy, it’s a tool for rapid updates. We’re committed to filtering information, not reproducing or endorsing misinformation. – Khabristan.pk for more information visit privacy policy
Leave a Comment