It's become something of a Christmas tradition. Every Christmas Eve and in to the early hours of Christmas morning, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (Norad) tracks Santa Claus as he leaves the North Pole and speeds around the world handing out presents to the children on his Nice List.
It all started with a misprinted telephone number in a regional US newspaper. In 1955, Sears placed an ad telling children they could call Santa at any time day or night, together with Santa's telephone number. Unfortunately, the number printed was that of the Continental Air Defense Command in Colorado Springs. The base's director of operations, Colonel Harry Shoup, took the first call. Instead of telling the caller they had a wrong number, he checked on his radar and informed them of Santa's whereabouts. He instructed his staff to do the same with any other calls, and the tradition was born.
In 1958, Canada and the US formed Norad, and the programme was taken over by them. Now, the operation is staffed by some 1,200 volunteers including, since 2009, Michelle Obama. In 2013, they answered 117,371 calls. From telephone calls and newspapers to TV, the internet and social media, the programme has kept up with the times. The action moved online in 1997. Now, anyone can log on and check on Saint Nick and pinpoint his location, or spy him on any of the Santa cams around the globe. In 2008, the programme joined Twitter and now boasts over 200,000 followers, while its Facebook page is approaching two million likes.
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
And the official line on the existence of Santa? "Based on historical data and more than 50 years of Norad tracking information, we believe that Santa Claus is alive and well in the hearts of children throughout the world."
-
Will the bitcoin price hit $100,000?With bitcoin prices trading just below $100,000, we explore whether the cryptocurrency can hit the milestone.
-
Inheritance tax receipts jump 11% even before Autumn Budget overhaulOfficial figures show inheritance tax receipts are rising even before the chancellor’s changes to reliefs
-
31 August 1957: the Federation of Malaya declares independence from the UKFeatures On this day in 1957, after ten years of preparation, the Federation of Malaya became an independent nation.
-
13 April 1960: the first satellite navigation system is launchedFeatures On this day in 1960, Nasa sent the Transit 1B satellite into orbit to provide positioning for the US Navy’s fleet of Polaris ballistic missile submarines.
-
9 April 1838: National Gallery opens in Trafalgar Square
Features On this day in 1838, William Wilkins’ new National Gallery building in Trafalgar Square opened to the public.
-
3 March 1962: British Antarctic Territory is created
Features On this day in 1962, Britain formed the British Antarctic Territory administered from the Falkland Islands.
-
10 March 2000: the dotcom bubble peaks
Features Tech mania fanned by the dawning of the internet age inflated the dotcom bubble to maximum extent, on this day in 2000.
-
9 March 1776: Adam Smith publishes 'The Wealth of Nations'
Features On this day in 1776, Adam Smith, the “father of modern economics”, published his hugely influential book The Wealth of Nations.
-
8 March 1817: the New York Stock Exchange is formed
Features On this day in 1817, a group of brokers moved out of a New York coffee house to form what would become the biggest stock exchange in the world.
-
7 March 1969: Queen Elizabeth II officially opens the Victoria Line
Features On this day in 1969, Queen Elizabeth II took only her second trip on the tube to officially open the underground’s newest line – the Victoria Line.
