NORAD Santa Tracker
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is a bi-national organization shared by the United States and Canada. From its headquarters in Colorado Springs, it has been tracking Santa’s journey around the globe for nearly 70 years.
The tradition dates back to 1955, when a newspaper advertisement accidentally printed the wrong phone number for a “Call Santa” hotline. Instead of reaching the North Pole, children were connected to the operations center of the Continental Air Defense Command, NORAD’s predecessor.
Major Jennie Derenzis, a member of the Canadian Armed Forces, is the media division chief with NORAD. She says one of those calls was answered by Air Force Colonel Harry Schoup, who was the commander on duty that night.
“He was quick to realize that this mistake had been made,” she said. “And while he could not connect this youngster to Santa, he was able to say, ‘you know what, we have all that technology and capability to let you know where he is right now, you know, on his journey across the globe.’ Thus began a very magical tradition.”
Derenzis says the tradition has endured even as technology has changed dramatically over the past seven decades.
“It just comes down to the fundamentals, the memories,” She said. “We all hold it from our own childhood, the joy that we see in the eyes of our children and just the excitement, you know, that palpable energy and excitement that kids hold on on Christmas Eve is just so beautiful.”
“So I think despite whatever technology is doing, those kinds of fundamental things we love so much about Christmas time are really central to the program.”
Each Christmas Eve, a hangar on the NORAD base in Colorado Springs is transformed into the North Pole. Approximately a thousand volunteers rotate through the call center over the course of the day, roughly a hundred per shift, answering calls from children around the world. Volunteers include NORAD personnel, Canadian and American family members, and people from the local community.
“The calls start at four in the morning local here, Mountain Time, till about midnight, and we're taking calls from across the world,” Derenzis explained. “I think last year we had over 380,000 calls come in, and I think the highest peaking hour was like maybe the 6:00 PM timeframe, and it was maybe just shy of like 60,000 calls or something like that in that one hour. So it's pretty amazing.”
Children call to ask where Santa is and to pose a few other important questions, like what kind of cookies they should leave out, or what snacks the reindeer prefer. One question Derenzis says comes up often is when kids should go to bed on Christmas Eve.
“It's a really good idea to be in bed between 9:00 PM and midnight, wherever you are in the world, just to make sure that you're sleeping, so that when Santa does come by, he can visit your house or wherever it is that you live without any peeking,” she said.
For children worried about weather conditions affecting Santa’s global journey, including recent windstorms in the region, Derenzis says there’s no reason to worry.
“He's a very confident, proficient aviator and we have never seen anything like weather prevent Santa from getting where he needs to be.”
The NORAD Tracks Santa call center is open all day on Christmas Eve. Families can call 1-877-HI-NORAD or visit noradsanta.org to follow Santa’s journey.
Ridgway Noel Night
Each year in early December, the town of Ridgway gathers for Noel Night — an evening that marks the start of the holiday season and brings the whole community into the streets, churches, and gathering spaces that define the town.
The night begins with music. Inside a local church, the children’s choir fills the room with familiar Christmas songs, joined this year by an adult community choir. The evening is organized by choir director Katie Kristoffersen, known to her students simply as “Ms. K.” For her, Noel Night is about more than performance.
Kristofferson says she’s always “hunting for joy,” and believes there’s something powerful about bringing kids and adults together to make music. The result is not polished for perfection, but meaningful, challenging, and deeply shared.
After the concert, the celebration spills out across town with a parade featuring Santa Clause. Local families gather for craft night at Voyager Youth Program, where tables are crowded with art supplies and kids work alongside parents and caregivers. Voyager’s staff describe the night as a chance to create a safe, welcoming space where families can slow down and connect.
On the east end of Ridgway, another tradition draws a steady line of visitors. Volunteer railroad enthusiasts offer rides on the restored Galloping Goose — a historic railcar first built in Ridgway in 1931, when old Buick sedans were converted to run on tracks. Tonight, the Goose loops along a short stretch of rail, piloted by volunteers who proudly describe themselves as “big kids playing with trains.”
Together, the music, the crafts, and the horn of the Galloping Goose capture the spirit of Noel Night — a community celebration rooted in history, creativity, and the simple act of showing up for one another.
