The Santa Tracker, a beloved Christmas tradition, began in 1955 when a Sears advertisement misprinted a phone number for children to call Santa. What could have been an embarrassing mistake turned into a heartwarming story when a young boy was connected to Air Force Colonel Harry Shoup, who then played Santa for the child. Col. Shoup embraced the mix-up and the tradition of tracking Santa continues even today, bringing joy to children worldwide.
The Santa Tracker, a beloved Christmas tradition, holds a special place in the hearts of children and adults alike. Its origins stem from a heartwarming story that began in 1955.
The Sears Misprint and a Heartfelt Connection
In 1955, a Sears department store advertisement in Colorado Springs, Colorado, mistakenly printed a phone number for children to call Santa Claus. Instead of reaching the jolly man in red, however, the children were inadvertently connected to the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD), which was responsible for monitoring North American airspace.
An Air Force Colonel Steps In
Colonel Harry Shoup, an Air Force officer on duty at the CONAD headquarters, answered the first phone call. Recognizing the mistake, he decided to play along and inform the caller that the Air Force was tracking Santa's whereabouts. Touched by the spirit of the moment, Colonel Shoup continued answering calls throughout the night, bringing joy and reassurance to countless children.
A Tradition is Born
The phone calls to CONAD continued in the following years, and the "Santa Tracker" tradition became an official one. The Air Force partnered with commercial organizations, including Sears and NORAD, to expand the program. In 1997, NORAD created a website where children could track Santa's journey in real-time.
NORAD's Santa Tracker Today
Today, the NORAD Santa Tracker remains a treasured Christmas tradition. Each year, volunteers at NORAD's Cheyenne Mountain Complex in Colorado Springs use advanced technology to track Santa's flight path on Christmas Eve. Children from all over the world can visit the Santa Tracker website or app to follow Santa's progress live.
Top 5 FAQs About Santa's Tracker
1. When can I track Santa? Santa's Tracker goes live on December 24th at 7 AM EST and continues until Christmas Day.
2. How can I track Santa? You can track Santa on the NORAD Santa Tracker website or app, which is available for free on iOS and Android devices.
3. What technology does NORAD use to track Santa? NORAD's Santa Tracker uses a combination of radar, satellite imagery, and aerial surveillance to monitor Santa's flight path.
4. Is the Santa Tracker real? While the Santa Tracker is a festive and imaginative tradition, it is important to note that it is a simulation based on NORAD's radar capabilities and is not intended to be taken literally.
5. How long has the Santa Tracker tradition been going on? The Santa Tracker tradition has been an official Air Force operation since 1955, when Colonel Harry Shoup began playing Santa for children who called CONAD by mistake.
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