In December 1955, a child’s call to a top-secret Pentagon line began an unlikely Christmas tradition: the NORAD Santa Tracker. What started as a Sears ad misprint became a global phenomenon, delighting families for nearly seven decades.
The call came to the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD), later known as NORAD, on a red phone reserved for national emergencies. When Colonel Harry Shoup picked up, he was met with a child’s question: “Is this Santa Claus?” Shoup, initially baffled, played along when he realized the call wasn’t a joke.
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 number in question had appeared in a Sears holiday ad inviting kids to call Santa, but it was one digit off from the intended line. Shoup, a father of four, quickly adapted, assigning staff to answer calls as Santa. “It became a big joke at the command center,” said his 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 board tracking aircraft. Shoup embraced the fun, notifying a radio station about “an unidentified flying object” resembling Santa’s sleigh. The idea caught on, and NORAD began issuing regular Santa updates.
Over the years, the tradition has evolved. In the 1960s, prerecorded updates were sent to radio stations, and in the 1970s, Santa’s journey was broadcast on TV. Today, families can follow him online, through a free app, or by calling the hotline, with updates available in nine languages.
More than 1,250 volunteers now manage the operation annually, answering calls and emails from around the world. Shoup’s family remains involved, with his daughter Terri continuing to volunteer each year.
Though Colonel Shoup passed away in 2009, his legacy lives on in this cherished holiday tradition, bringing joy to millions of families around the world.
