Nearly 70 years ago, a child’s call accidentally placed to a military hotline led to the creation of one of the world’s most cherished holiday traditions: NORAD’s Santa Tracker. The story began during the Cold War when a child mistakenly reached a line designed for national emergencies.
In December 1955, a young boy dialed what he thought was Santa’s direct line, as advertised in a Sears department store ad. Instead, he reached Colonel Harry Shoup at the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD). Initially believing it to be a prank, Shoup soon realized it was a genuine call from a child and played along as Santa.
In December 1955 a child accidentally called a colonel at an air base in Colorado Springs asking for 'Santa' – all because of a misprint in a newspaper advert.
Colonel Harry Shoup answered the call. His daughter Terri tells the story of how the NORAD Santa Tracker begun 👇… pic.twitter.com/l0lepLS1Kw
— Sky News (@SkyNews) December 24, 2024
The misprinted number in the Sears ad invited children to “call Santa personally,” but it was one digit off from the top-secret military hotline. The calls kept coming, and Shoup directed airmen to respond as Santa. “It became a joke at the command center,” said Shoup’s daughter, Terri Van Keuren.
How NORAD's Santa tracker was ACCIDENTALLY launched by a child's call to a top secret phone linehttps://t.co/Sat5VOQOJ6
— Michael Rivero (@WRH_Mike_Rivero) December 25, 2023
On Christmas Eve, staff humorously added a sleigh and reindeer to a radar tracking board. Shoup embraced the fun and called a local radio station, announcing that an “unidentified flying object” resembling Santa’s sleigh had been detected. Thus, the Santa Tracker was born.
Since then, the tradition has grown. In the 1960s, NORAD sent prerecorded updates to radio stations, and by the 1970s, Santa’s journey was broadcast on television. Today, families can track Santa online, via a free app, or by calling the NORAD hotline.
With over 1,250 volunteers managing calls and emails each year, the Santa Tracker has become a global phenomenon, delighting millions. Shoup’s legacy lives on as his family, including Terri, continues to volunteer, ensuring the tradition endures for future generations.
