“Where’s Santa?”
Every Christmas Eve, that question is answered by the NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center, where over 1,000 volunteers stand ready to report Santa’s whereabouts. Though most calls come in between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Mountain Time, the phones ring throughout the night as children from all over the world call in to ask for Santa’s location.
The first child called in 1955, and North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has been tracking Santa ever since. For one special night every year, the systems that keep North America safe—radar, satellites, and fighter jets—are used to follow Santa and his reindeer as he makes his way around the globe.
American Essence interviewed Capt. Rebecca Garand of NORAD to learn more about the operation.
American Essence: Does Santa’s route change every year, or is it the same?
Ms. Garand: While his route varies from year to year, he always visits every home where there are children who believe in him. That said, Santa usually starts at the International Date Line in the Pacific Ocean and travels west.
American Essence: Have kids reported seeing Santa’s sleigh?
Ms. Garand: We haven’t received any reports of kids seeing Santa’s sleigh because Santa arrives to children’s houses only when they are asleep! If children are still awake when Santa arrives, he moves on to other homes and returns later in the night. This makes his route more complex, and with so many gifts to deliver, we recommend that all children get to bed early on Christmas Eve and stay asleep throughout the night to help Santa keep his journey moving smoothly.
American Essence: What are the most creative questions you’ve gotten?
Ms. Garand: One popular question our volunteers receive is what kind of cookies Santa prefers. In a recent year, one girl proudly shared that she made him lasagna with meatballs just in case he wanted dinner. Every question reminds us how imaginative and thoughtful kids are. It’s part of what makes this night so special.
American Essence: Does Rudolf’s nose glow the whole time?
Ms. Garand: The constant bright red glow of Rudolf’s nose is just one of the ways that we’re able to track Santa around the globe. The heat signature generated is picked up by our Persistent Infrared satellites far above.
Exterior aircraft lighting is an important aspect of flight safety and is a federal requirement for airplanes and even hot air balloons. While I am not aware of any flight rules that include flying reindeer, Rudolph’s nose certainly performs this function.
American Essence: Is Santa’s sleigh getting any makeovers or tech upgrades this year?
Ms. Garand: From what we can tell, Santa continues to rely on the same timeless propulsion system he’s used for centuries: pure Christmas magic. Since 1955, fighter jets have intercepted Santa many, many times. Today those jets include American F-15s, F-16s, F-22s and Canadian CF-18s. When the jets intercept Santa it’s always a friendly occasion: They tip their wings and he smiles and waves back.
American Essence: Have you had to jump in to help with any mechanical failures with the sleigh?
Ms. Garand: Santa has been flying for centuries without any major incidents that have required external assistance. He’s a great pilot, and he has a top-notch maintenance team that keeps the sleigh in the air.
American Essence: What about any reindeer failures? Have you had to call in any back-ups, or send in a veterinarian?
Ms. Garand: Santa’s reindeer train all year for this mission, and when the big night arrives, they’re ready—just like we are. They may take short breaks on rooftops to rest and refuel, but we’ve never seen a failure in flight.
American Essence: Has Santa ever gotten stuck anywhere he needed bailing out?
Ms. Garand: Santa seems to get in and out of homes with and without chimneys with incredible know-how. Although NORAD has different hypotheses and theories as to how Santa actually gets through tight spaces such as chimneys, we don’t have definitive information to explain the magical phenomenon and how he does it without getting stuck.
American Essence: What does Santa do in case of meteor showers?
Ms. Garand: Santa’s sleigh seems to have built-in evasive capabilities, likely magical, that allow him to navigate safely through even the most complex conditions. We’ve never seen him delayed or diverted due to space debris. We’re always watching the skies—NORAD’s space-based sensors keep a close eye on potential hazards, including meteor activity.
American Essence: Any hotspots you have to be especially vigilant about—like the Bermuda Triangle?
Ms. Garand: NORAD tracks Santa across all regions, including those with unique atmospheric or navigational challenges. Santa is an expert pilot and has navigated the entire planet for centuries to deliver gifts to children all around the world.
American Essence: Does Santa ever swing by the International Space Station?
Ms. Garand: Yes, he does! Every year, Santa makes a brief stop at the International Space Station to spread holiday cheer to the astronauts on board. While NORAD doesn’t coordinate with Santa directly, our tracking systems have consistently shown a quick visit to low Earth orbit before he resumes his global journey. It’s one of the more magical moments we get to observe!
American Essence: What are some of the favorite memories from this night that volunteers and personnel have?
Ms. Garand: Last year one of our volunteers told me that a mother, her son, and their service dog Annie called in. The child was really excited and asked if Santa would give Annie some pats and scratches behind the ears when he stopped by. It was a sweet reminder that Santa’s visit means something special to every member of the family (furry friends included)!
American Essence: What questions have stumped you?
Ms. Garand: One of the most common, and trickiest, questions we get is: “Am I on the Nice List?” That’s a protected document held exclusively by Santa himself, and NORAD doesn’t have access to it. But we always remind kids that if they’re worried about being on the Naughty List, there’s still time to turn things around. We believe in second chances, and we’ve heard that Santa does, too.
American Essence: NORAD keeps a watch on security threats. What kind of things do you monitor to make sure Santa is safe all through the night?
Ms. Garand: NORAD’s mission is to provide aerospace warning, aerospace control, and maritime warning for the defense of North America. On December 24, we use the same trusted resources (radar, satellites, and NORAD’s fighter jets) to track Santa’s journey across the globe.
While Santa doesn’t need our protection, we are honored to monitor his flight and make sure the skies are clear as he delivers joy to children everywhere.
American Essence: Santa is awfully jolly for such intense work over such a short period of time—do you have any insights into how he maintains his everlasting good cheer?
Ms. Garand: NORAD has tracked Santa for 70 years, and one thing’s for sure: his cheer never wavers. We suspect that he maintains this jolly composure through a combination of global goodwill, the joy of giving, and perhaps a few cookies along the way. Whatever his secret, it’s working—and he’s the most consistently positive pilot that we’ve ever tracked.
This article was originally published in American Essence magazine.
