How you can track Santa's journey on Christmas Eve

Tracking Santa’s journey with NORAD Lieutenant Elise De Garie explains how NORAD tracks Santa’s journey and how you can follow along.

Christmas is less than a week away, and Santa is busy gearing up to fly across the globe to deliver presents.

To ensure Santa travels safely on his big night and to keep track of his progress, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is there to help.

NORAD has been tracking Santa since 1955 – a tradition that began accidentally when a child called the Continental Air Defense Command’s (CONAD) phone line to ask about Santa’s whereabouts due to a misprinted phone number in a local newspaper.

“The colonel that was then in place had to oblige and answer the child where Santa was at that time. This is how it started,” said Lt. Elise De Garie from the 1 Canadian Air Division headquarters with the Canadian NORAD Region.

De Garie explained that NORAD, which is a bi-national organization responsible for monitoring and defending North American airspace, uses satellites, radars, and CF-18 aircrafts to follow Santa’s journey. She added they also get some help from Rudolph.

“Rudolph’s nose radiates a ton of heat and that is one of the ways that we are able to track Santa, as well as our pilots, who then get to escort and accompany Santa on his journey,” she said.

Those who want to follow along on Christmas can do so with the live map online at noradsanta.org, which currently features games and videos for kids to enjoy.

Kids can also call 1-877-446-6723 to track Santa’s adventure.

- With files from CTV’s Rachel Lagace.