If your kids are repeatedly asking where Santa is on his journey from the North Pole, there’s a number for that. For 70 years, a group of volunteers has joined the North American Aerospace Defense Command at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs in an effort to track jolly old St. Nick around the globe.
NORAD has taken on the noble mission since 1955, when a child accidentally called its predecessor instead of the North Pole. Things have gotten much more high-tech since then, thanks to a website, app, smart-speaker skills and more. U.S. Department of State Senior Foreign Service Officer Tamir Waser recently explained on WISC-TV in Madison how it all works and what kids can learn in the process.
You can call 1-877-HI-NORAD to ask NORAD’s live operators about Santa’s location from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. local time, or follow him on the NORAD Santa website and app.
