By
Parker SeiboldDecember 24, 2022 | updated 3 years ago
Tracking the big guyChief Master Sgt. Jacob Simmons works as a Santa tracker, answering calls from kids around the world, at the NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center on Christmas Eve. Santa tracking started back in 1955, when a young boy dialed a misprinted number from an advertisement, got Continental Defense Air Command on the phone and asked to speak to Santa Claus. After the boy was assured that Santa would make it home safely, a tradition was born. Each year the NORAD Tracks Santa program receives as many as 150,000 calls and answers as many as 60,000. (The Gazette, Parker Seibold) (Parker Seibold)
Each year on Christmas Eve, more than a thousand volunteers donate two hours of their time to work as Santa trackers with the NORAD Tracks Santa program. The tradition was born from a misdialed phone call in 1955, during which a young child reached the combat operations center at Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) in Colorado Springs, Colorado, asking to speak to Santa Claus. The Air Force colonel who answered the phone realized the mistake and, not wanting to let down the child, gave the order to the watch floor to start tracking Santa and answer the children’s calls accordingly. Each year the program receives as many as 150,000 phone calls from children wondering about Santa’s whereabouts and approximately 60,000 of those calls get answered by volunteers.
Tracking the big guyChief Master Sgt. Jacob Simmons works as a Santa tracker, answering calls from kids around the world, at the NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center on Christmas Eve. Santa tracking started back in 1955, when a young boy dialed a misprinted number from an advertisement, got Continental Defense Air Command on the phone and asked to speak to Santa Claus. After the boy was assured that Santa would make it home safely, a tradition was born. Each year the NORAD Tracks Santa program receives as many as 150,000 calls and answers as many as 60,000. (The Gazette, Parker Seibold) (Parker Seibold)Majoraca Weber, center, speaks to a caller at the NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center on Christmas Eve. Each year, volunteers work in two hour shifts on Christmas Eve to answer as many as 60,000 calls about Santa’s whereabouts. (The Gazette, Parker Seibold)122522-news-santa tracker 2.JPG (Parker Seibold)Cmdr. Rob Uniszkiewicz speaks to a caller at the NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center on Christmas Eve. Each year, volunteers work in two hour shifts on Christmas Eve to answer as many as 60,000 calls about Santa’s whereabouts. (The Gazette, Parker Seibold) (Parker Seibold)Elizabeth Baldwin-Jones speaks to a caller at the NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center on Christmas Eve. Each year, volunteers work in two hour shifts on Christmas Eve to answer as many as 60,000 calls about Santa’s whereabouts. (The Gazette, Parker Seibold) (Parker Seibold)Franziska Reichert wears an array of Santa Tracker pins during her volunteering shift at the NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center on Christmas Eve. Each year, volunteers work in two hour shifts on Christmas Eve to answer as many as 60,000 calls about Santa’s whereabouts. (The Gazette, Parker Seibold) (Parker Seibold)Quotes and questions from callers are written on a large piece of paper at the NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center. (The Gazette, Parker Seibold) (Parker Seibold)Jennifer Schaming-Ronan center, gives instructions to volunteers before they start their shifts as Santa trackers on Christmas Eve. (The Gazette, Parker Seibold) (Parker Seibold)Master Sgt. Ken Melchi wears an array of Santa tracker pins on his hat as he speaks to a caller at the NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center on Christmas Eve. Each year, volunteers work in two hour shifts on Christmas Eve to answer as many as 60,000 calls about Santa’s whereabouts. (The Gazette, Parker Seibold) (Parker Seibold)Volunteers work as Santa trackers at the NORAD Tracking Center, answering calls from all over the world to tell children the whereabouts of Santa. Santa tracking started back in 1955, when a young boy dialed a misprinted number from an advertisement and got Continental Defense Air Command on the phone. After the boy was assured that Santa would make it home safely, a tradition was born. (The Gazette, Parker Seibold) (Parker Seibold)Volunteers work as Santa trackers at the NORAD Tracking Center, answering calls from all over the world to tell children the whereabouts of Santa. Santa tracking started back in 1955, when a young boy dialed a misprinted number from an advertisement and got Continental Defense Air Command on the phone. After the boy was assured that Santa would make it home safely, a tradition was born. (The Gazette, Parker Seibold) (Parker Seibold)Volunteers work as Santa trackers at the NORAD Tracking Center, answering calls from all over the world to tell children the whereabouts of Santa. Santa tracking started back in 1955, when a young boy dialed a misprinted number from an advertisement and got Continental Defense Air Command on the phone. After the boy was assured that Santa would make it home safely, a tradition was born. (The Gazette, Parker Seibold) (Parker Seibold)
