The Origins of the NORAD Santa Tracker: A Christmas Tradition Born from a Typo
Every year, millions of children eagerly follow Santa Claus’ journey around the world with the NORAD Santa Tracker. This beloved Christmas tradition uses military radar to track Santa’s flight as he delivers gifts to all the good little boys and girls. But did you know that this popular tradition began over 50 years ago with a simple typo in a Colorado newspaper ad?
A Misprinted Number Leads to an Unexpected Connection
In 1955, Sears Roebuck & Co. ran an advertisement in a Colorado Springs-area newspaper. The ad featured a phone number that children could call to speak with Santa Claus. However, due to a printing error, the number printed in the ad was not the direct line to the North Pole. Instead, it connected to a telephone on the desk of Col. Harry Shoup, the director of operations at the Continental Air Defense Command.
Terri Van Keuren, one of Shoup’s daughters, recalls the significance of that red phone. “Only a four-star general at the Pentagon and my dad had the number,” she shared during a recent visit with her siblings to StoryCorps.
An Unexpected Turn of Events
When the phone rang one day in December, Col. Shoup was taken by surprise when a small voice on the other end asked for Santa. Initially annoyed by the call, Shoup decided to play along, as his children later revealed to StoryCorps. As more calls came in, Shoup enlisted airmen to answer on Santa’s behalf. On Christmas Eve, the airmen even added Santa’s sleigh to the glass board used by the command center to track flights over the United States.
The story took an unexpected twist when Shoup called a radio station and claimed to have spotted an unidentified flying object that resembled a sleigh. The radio stations began calling him every hour, asking for updates on Santa’s whereabouts.
The Birth of a Tradition
And so, a tradition was born. Shoup’s sense of humor and willingness to embrace the unexpected led to the creation of the NORAD Santa Tracker. His children recall receiving letters from people all over the world, expressing gratitude for starting a beloved Christmas tradition.
In 1958, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) officially took over the responsibility of tracking Santa. Today, NORAD staff members, along with their families and friends, volunteer their time to respond to children’s calls, letters, and emails, as well as track Santa’s flight each Christmas.
The NORAD Santa Tracker continues to bring joy and excitement to children around the world, all thanks to a simple typo and Col. Harry Shoup’s good-natured response.
