Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado –
The
North American Aerospace Defense Command is celebrating the 60th Anniversary of
tracking Santa’s yuletide journey!
The
NORAD TracksSanta website, www.noradsanta.org, launching Dec 1, features
Santa’s North Pole Village, which includes a holiday countdown, games,
activities, and more. The website is available in eight
languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and
Chinese.
Official
NORAD Tracks Santa apps are also available in the Windows, Apple and Google
Play stores, so parents and children can countdown the days until Santa’s
launch on their smart phones and tablets! Tracking opportunities are also
offered on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Google+. Santa followers just need
to type “@noradsanta” into each search engine to get started.
Also
new this year, the website features the NORAD Headquarters in the North Pole
Village, and highlights of the program over the past 60 years.
Starting
at 12:01 a.m. MST (2:01 a.m. EST) on Dec. 24, website visitors can watch Santa
make preparations for his flight. NORAD’s “Santa Cams” will stream videos on
the website as Santa makes his way over various locations. Then, at 4 a.m. MST
(6 a.m. EST), trackers worldwide can speak with a live phone operator to
inquire as to Santa’s whereabouts by dialing the toll-free number
1-877-Hi-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) or by sending an email to noradtrackssanta@outlook.com.
Any
time on Dec. 24, Windows Phone users can ask Cortana for Santa’s location, and
OnStar subscribers can press the OnStar button in their vehicles to locate
Santa.
NORAD
Tracks Santa is truly a global experience, delighting generations of families everywhere.
This is due, in large part, to the efforts and services of numerous program contributors.
This year’s contributers
include: the 21st Space Wing, 140th Wing, Acuity Scheduling, Alaska NORAD
Region, America Forces Network (AFN), Analytical Graphics, Inc., Avaya,
BeMerry! Santa / Noerr Programs, Bing®, Canadian NORAD Region, Chirpon, The
Citadel Mall, Civil Air Patrol, Christmas in the Park, Colorado Springs
Business Alliance, Continental NORAD Region, CradlePoint, Defense Video &
Imagery Distribution Systems, DoD News, The Elf on the Shelf, Extended Stay
America, Federal Aviation Administration, Getty Images, Globelink Foreign Language
Center, Harris, Hewlett Packard (HP), iLink-Systems, Kids.gov, Level 3 Communications,
Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, Meshbox, Microsoft®, Naden Band of Maritime
Forces Pacific, National Tree Lighting Ceremony, Naturally Santa’s Inc., Office
Depot/Office Max, OneRender, OnStar, PCI Broadband, Portable North Pole/Ugroup
Media, Pueblo Riverwalk, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern Colorado,
Save the Children, Sears, Space Foundation, Spil Games, SiriusXM®, Strategic
Air & Space Museum, Unity, Air Force Academy Band, U.S. Air Force Band of
the Golden West, U.S. Air Force Band of the West, U.S. Air Force Band, U.S. Air
Force Heartland of America Band, U.S. Army Ground Forces Band, U.S. Band of
MidAmerica, U.S. Coast Guard Band, U.S. Department of State Family Liaison
Office, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Postal Service, Verizon, Visionbox,
West Point Band, Windows Azure, and Xtomic.
It all started in 1955 when a
local media advertisement directed children to call Santa direct – only the
number was misprinted. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone rang through to the
Crew Commander on duty at the Continental Air Defense Command Operations
Center. Thus began the tradition, which NORAD carried on since it was created
in 1958.
NOTE
TO MEDIA MEMBERS: If
interested in covering the NORAD Tracks Santa program, send requests to NTSMedia@outlook.com or call (719) 554-6889. Also
visit the NTS DVIDS page http://www.dvidshub.net/feature/NORADTracksSanta
for B-roll video, photos, and more.