LIVE SANTA TRACKER: Follow Santa Claus as he delivers presents around the world

ATLANTA – Santa is coming to town and you can follow his magical journey with the NORAD Santa Tracker, a beloved tradition that dates back to 1955.

The tradition began by accident when a department store misprinted a phone number in a newspaper ad urging children to call Santa. Instead, the number is linked to the Continental Air Defense Command, NORAD’s predecessor. That Christmas Eve, officers answered dozens of calls from children asking, “Where is Santa and when is he coming to my house?”

Today, NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) continues the tradition by using a network of satellites to track Santa’s sleigh. According to NORAD spokesman Waser, Santa’s journey generally starts just west of the International Date Line and moves across the globe from north to south. Rudolph’s glowing nose even helps satellites locate Santa’s sleigh during his travels.

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Every Christmas Eve, NORAD receives hundreds of thousands of calls, with a large team of volunteers working to keep the magic alive. Santa and his reindeer have already taken off from the North Pole, and our team is on standby at the Fox 5 Santa Tracker Command Center to keep you updated on his progress. Good track!