NORAD Tracks Santa, now with smartphone apps

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Last updated on December 10th, 2021

Since the 1950s, NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) each Christmas Eve tracks Santa’s trip through the skies as part of its annual “NORAD Tracks Santa” program.

The tech used to promote the tracking has improved over the years. NORAD now offers:

NORAD Tracks Santa also offers apps for iOS and Android devices.

Of particular interest and amusement is the site’s FAQ page. It gives various answers on commonly asked questions (“is Santa real?,” etc.). However, the technical information is particularly fun. One example is their answer for how Santa can deliver gifts all over the world in one night:

Santa would never rush the important job of distributing presents to children and spreading holiday cheer to everyone, so the only logical conclusion is that Santa functions within a different time-space continuum than the rest of us. Santa is a true mystery to us all!

Alternative services

Not to be outdone, Google also has its own Santa tracking service, separate from NORAD’s. It also comes with its own Android app.

A brief Google search shows a few other trackers are available. However, I’d probably just stick with NORAD’s.

(Updated 12/20/16)

Anthony Dean

Anthony Dean is the owner of Diverse Tech Geek and Diverse Media Notes.

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