The holiday season is officially here, and that means it’s time for everyone’s favorite jolly old fellow to make his annual journey around the world.
Santa Claus has officially begun his Christmas 2025 gift-giving mission, and thanks to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), you can track his every move in real-time!
Hopefully you've been good this year and are tucked up in bed for his arrival!
The NORAD Santa Tracker
For decades, people across the world have eagerly followed Santa's route through the night sky, receiving updates on where he is as he delivers presents to homes around the globe.
This long-standing tradition has become a beloved part of Christmas, but it all began by accident.
The origins of NORAD’s Santa Tracker date back to 1955, when a simple mistake led to the start of this now-global tradition.
A child in Colorado called a local military command hoping to speak with Santa Claus, but due to a misprinted phone number, the call went to an Air Force Command center instead.
Harry Shoup, the Air Force Commander on duty, quickly recognized the mistake and assured the child that they had indeed reached Santa.
From that moment, the tradition was born.
As more calls came in from children hoping to track Santa’s journey, Commander Shoup assigned an officer to answer the phone and continue spreading holiday cheer.
This effort was formalized when NORAD, the organization responsible for monitoring North American airspace, took over the responsibility in 1958.
Tracking Santa’s Sleigh: The Science Behind the Magic
While NORAD is typically focused on defending North American airspace, every Christmas Eve, it shifts gears to become the ultimate source of Santa Claus tracking.
Using radar and satellites, NORAD provides real-time updates, allowing kids of all ages to follow Santa’s magical journey.
Despite the high-speed travel and countless stops along the way, Santa has never once experienced an accident.
After centuries of practice, his sleigh skills are unmatched. But if you’ve ever wondered about the technical specs of Santa’s sleigh, NORAD has got you covered.
According to NORAD, Santa’s sleigh measures an impressive 75 candy canes in length, 40 candy canes in width, and 55 candy canes in height.
At the beginning of his journey, the sleigh weighs about the equivalent of 75,000 gumdrops, but by the end of the night, it’s gained an additional 5,000 pounds due to accumulated snow and ice.
Santa’s gifts also come in at an incredible weight — approximately 60,000 tons, a nod to the massive effort put in by Santa’s elves throughout the year.
As for Santa himself, he weighs in at around 260 pounds, but by the time he returns to the North Pole, he’s gained an extra 1,000 pounds thanks to all the cookies, milk, and occasional brandy offered to him by families around the world.
What Makes Santa’s Sleigh So Special?
When asked about the specifics of Santa’s sleigh, a NORAD spokesperson explained: "We really don't want to compare Santa's sleigh to a C-130, but what we can confirm is that Santa's sleigh is a versatile, all-weather, multi-purpose, vertical short-take-off and landing vehicle."
In other words, Santa’s sleigh is no ordinary vehicle.
It’s capable of traveling vast distances without the need for refueling and is deployed only on Christmas Eve (with occasional test flights, of course).
Thanks to this magical sleigh, Santa can travel the globe in a single night, delivering gifts to children everywhere.
The Magic of Christmas: NORAD Brings Holiday Joy to All
Each year, NORAD’s Santa Tracker brings joy and excitement to millions of people across the world.
Whether you’re a child eagerly checking the NORAD website to see when Santa will arrive or an adult reminiscing about the magic of childhood, the Santa Tracker is a holiday tradition that fills us all with the wonder of Christmas.
So, as Santa makes his way through the skies this Christmas Eve, remember to get to bed early and leave out those cookies and milk.
After all, you never know when Santa will stop by your house — and you definitely want to make sure you're on his 'Nice' list!
You can track Santa HERE - so you know when you should be asleep.
From all of us here at VT, we wish you a very Merry Christmas!