Picture this: it's 7 PM on Christmas Eve, the children are in their pyjamas, the cookies are set out for Santa, and everyone is crowded around a screen watching a tiny sleigh icon inch its way across the globe. That moment — "He's in Europe now!" "He's almost to Canada!" — is one of the most magical parts of the whole Christmas season.

Santa tracking has become a beloved tradition for families across Canada and around the world. Here's everything you need to know to do it right.

The NORAD Santa Tracker: The Official One

The most famous Santa tracker in the world is run by NORAD — the North American Aerospace Defense Command — a joint Canada/US military organisation that defends North American airspace. Every year since 1955, NORAD has officially tracked Santa's Christmas Eve journey.

It all started with a happy accident: a department store in Colorado published a "call Santa directly" number in the newspaper, but printed it slightly wrong — and children ended up calling NORAD's operations centre instead. The commander on duty that night chose to play along and told the children he was tracking Santa on radar. The tradition has continued ever since.

Where to find it: noradsanta.org — the tracker goes live on December 1st with games and activities, and on Christmas Eve it shows Santa's real-time location across the globe.

When does tracking start? NORAD begins tracking Santa at 6:00 AM Eastern Time on December 24th. By evening, you can watch his progress as he makes his way across the globe from east to west, following the night sky around the world.

Track Santa on WriteToSanta.ca

We have our own Santa tracker right here on WriteToSanta.ca, designed especially for Canadian families and young children. It shows Santa's location as he journeys across the world, with a countdown clock showing how long until he's expected to reach Canada.

It's simple, festive, and perfect for keeping children engaged during the exciting wait on Christmas Eve. Bookmark it and check back throughout the evening!

How Santa Tracking Works: A Kid-Friendly Explanation

Children often want to know: how does NORAD actually track Santa?

Here's a lovely explanation to share with curious kids:

Santa's sleigh gives off a very special signal — a magical one that only NORAD's instruments can detect. They also have a special camera at the North Pole that captures the moment Santa takes off. From there, NORAD's radar (the same technology used to track aircraft) follows the sleigh as it moves from country to country.

The reindeer's red nose is actually quite helpful too — Rudolph's famous glow can be picked up by infrared satellites that normally detect heat. Once Santa is in the air, every country he crosses reports back to NORAD headquarters, updating the tracker in real time.

Making Santa Tracking a Family Tradition

Santa tracking is most magical when you build it into your Christmas Eve routine. Here's how to make the most of it:

Start early in the evening. Check the tracker before dinner so children can see Santa is somewhere like Europe or Asia. Then check again after dinner when he's getting closer to North America.

Give children a job. Assign one child as the "official Santa reporter" — their job is to check the tracker every half hour and announce Santa's location to the family. This gives them a sense of responsibility and keeps the excitement building.

Print out a world map. Young children love having a paper map to colour in or mark with stickers as Santa visits each continent. It doubles as a fun geography lesson!

Use it to prompt bedtime. "Santa's in Mexico now — we need to be asleep before he gets to Canada!" is far more effective than almost any other bedtime motivation on Christmas Eve.

Call NORAD. On December 24th, you can actually call NORAD on 1-877-HI-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) to speak with a real volunteer tracker. Many children find this absolutely thrilling — hearing a real person confirm that yes, Santa is on his way.

Other Ways to Track Santa

Beyond NORAD, a few other Santa tracking experiences are worth knowing about:

Google Santa Tracker (santatracker.google.com) offers games, activities, and a tracker that's updated regularly through December. It's colourful, interactive, and great for keeping children occupied while they wait.

Amazon Alexa — if you have an Alexa device at home, try asking "Alexa, where is Santa?" on Christmas Eve. She'll give you an up-to-date report on Santa's location.

Local news channels often provide Santa tracking updates on Christmas Eve evening as part of their broadcasts. Many Canadian newsrooms have been known to "receive reports" from NORAD about Santa's whereabouts.

The Perfect Christmas Eve Santa-Tracking Routine

Here's a simple Christmas Eve schedule to build the magic:

  • 5:00 PM — Check the tracker together after dinner. Santa is likely somewhere in Europe.
  • 6:00 PM — Put on Christmas pyjamas, make hot cocoa, set out cookies for Santa.
  • 7:00 PM — Watch a Christmas movie while checking the tracker periodically.
  • 8:00 PM — Santa is getting closer! This is a great time to read a Christmas story together.
  • 8:30 PM — "Santa is over the Atlantic! Everyone to bed!"
  • In bed — Close eyes, listen for sleigh bells, dream of Christmas morning.

And if your child hasn't yet sent their letter to Santa, tonight might be the perfect time. Help your child write to Santa before the big night — Santa sends a personalised reply, and many children love checking for a message from the North Pole as part of their Christmas Eve ritual.

Merry Christmas Eve! Keep an eye on the tracker and enjoy every magical minute.