Santa has taken off. See where he is now!

Every Christmas Eve, something truly amazing happens. Santa Claus takes to the skies, racing around the world to deliver gifts to kids everywhere. This year, just like every other year, Santa is ready for his big mission to spread joy and happiness. 

Thanks to technology, we can now track Santa’s trip in real-time! Here’s everything you need to know about his incredible journey.

How We Started Tracking Santa

Did you know people have been tracking Santa’s sleigh for nearly 70 years? It all started in 1955 with a happy accident. 

A little kid saw an ad in the newspaper with a phone number to call Santa. But the number was wrong, and instead, the child ended up calling the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).

Rather than being upset, the staff at NORAD decided to have some fun and started tracking Santa for real. Since then, NORAD has officially become Santa’s tracker, using radar and satellites to follow his magical flight every Christmas Eve.

When and Where Does Santa Start?

Santa’s big trip begins at 9:00 AM GMT, which is 11:00 PM in the world’s furthest time zone ahead. His first stop? The kids in Kiribati, a small island nation in the Pacific Ocean, because they’re the first ones to celebrate Christmas every year.

After that, Santa carefully follows his route, making sure every child on the Nice List has gifts under their tree by the time they wake up.

Santa’s Super Sleigh

Santa’s sleigh isn’t like any regular sleigh—it’s packed with magic! It’s as long as 75 candy canes, 40 candy canes wide, and 55 candy canes tall. When Santa takes off, the sleigh weighs about 75,000 gumdrops. By the end of the night, it gets 5,000 gumdrops heavier from all the snow and ice!

Inside the sleigh, Santa carries 60,000 tons of presents to deliver all over the world. And Santa himself? He starts the night weighing about 260 pounds, but after all the cookies and milk left out for him, he gains another 1,000 pounds by the time he heads back to the North Pole!

How Does Santa Do It So Fast?

How can Santa visit every single house in just one night? It’s all thanks to his sleigh’s super speed—faster than starlight! That speed lets him fly across the globe in record time.

But there’s another trick: Santa can experience time differently. While it might seem like he’s rushing, he has plenty of time to deliver presents to each home. 

And remember, Santa won’t stop at your house if you’re awake. He’ll come back later when you’re sound asleep, so make sure to get to bed early!

Santa’s Routine and Secrets

Santa likes to do most of his work between 9:00 PM and midnight in each area. This way, he avoids getting spotted while he delivers presents.

NORAD says Santa is about 5’7″ tall, but the mystery of how he always knows who’s awake or asleep is still one of the coolest parts of his story.

Follow Santa Live!

Want to know where Santa is right now? Thanks to NORAD, you can track him in real-time online! It’s so much fun to watch as his sleigh flies across the world, and it makes waiting for Christmas morning even more exciting.

You can follow Santa’s progress on this map. And watch live on youtube. 

Santa’s journey is one of the most magical parts of the holiday season. His trip reminds us of the joy, kindness, and generosity that make Christmas so special.

Happy holidays! What’s the first thing you’ll do when Santa visits your home? Let us know in the comments below! And don’t forget to share this article with your friends and family to spread some holiday cheer. 🎄✨