Each year, for more than 50 years, NORAD has tracked Santa Claus as he flies around the world on Christmas Eve. NORAD headquarters in Colorado Springs under Cheyenne Mountain was featured in the movie War Games
The centerpiece of NORAD’s claim to fame is that the North American Aerospace Defense Command, which is a joint operation between the United States and Canada, is that it is responsible for detecting incoming attacks against the United States of America. Most famously, this involves detecting the launch of nuclear missiles from the Soviet Union. The idea is that no one on the planet is better at tracking objects as they fly through the air. Who better then, to track Santa Claus on his famous Xmas Eve flights?
NORAD Tracks Santa Website
Not long ago, NORAD’s radar detection of Santa’s flights was a small segment on the local news broadcast or a mention on the radio. But in the days of Web 2.0, NORAD has a full website up and running to provide up to the minute updates on Santa’s exact position as he circles the globe.
Since, there is no tracking action going on right now, the NORAD Santa Claus website has other entertainment and information available for visitors. Kids with an interest in the Air Force or radar or technology, or just old Saint Nick himself will find plenty of fun things to see and do on the NORAD Christmas site.
Of course, Christmas Eve is when the real action starts.
Christmas Eve NORAD Tracking Information Online
On Christmas Eve, NORAD tracks Santa live on the Internet. Graphics, charts, maps, and radar screens that will satisfy the most technical of kiddos appear to track Santa Claus as he moves across the globe bringing toys to all the good little girls and boys. As an added bonus, this can be a great way to also teach children about things like how time zones work, how it is night on part of the Earth while at the same time daytime on another part of the Earth. If you want to get really fancy, you can even broach the subject of the International Date Line and explain how in some places on the globe, it is already tomorrow.
The Santa Tracking NORAD website address is www.noradsanta.org. You’ll find plenty of dot-com addresses that are either imitators, or flat out steal the images and content while serving up plenty of advertising to unsuspecting girls and boys (and their parents). However, the real NORAD website tracking page is plenty of fun for kids of all ages.
One quick word of warning, though. Unless you really want to test out your parenting skills, before you try and fire up the Internet and show your kids where Santa is in order to rush them off to bed, check the site first. Otherwise, you’ll have children who feel no urgency since Santa is still in Europe, depending upon when their bedtime is.
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