“Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.” — Norman Vincent Peale
What started as a wrong number in a Sears advertisement turned into a Christmas tradition that has delighted generations of children. The NORAD Santa Tracker, a high-tech way to follow Santa Claus as he delivers presents worldwide, owes its origin to a simple misprint and the quick thinking of Air Force Col. Harry Shoup.
Shoup’s children shared the story of how it all began, explaining to NPR that their father was manning a top-secret hotline in 1955, ready to respond to any threats to national security. But instead of a military emergency, he answered a call from a little boy who was looking for Santa Claus. Shoup’s daughter Pam Farrell said her father played along, asking the child if he’d been good and then requesting to speak to his mother. That’s when Shoup discovered the source of the mix-up: a Sears Roebuck & Co. ad had printed his emergency number as Santa’s personal hotline.
Air Force Col. Harry Shoup. Photo courtesy of NORAD
The ad invited kids to “Call me on my private phone and I will talk to you personally, any time day or night.” This led to an avalanche of calls to Shoup’s red phone, which was anything but private that evening. He soon enlisted the help of airmen to answer the calls, transforming what could have been a frustrating situation into something magical.
What began as a flurry of unexpected calls quickly became a workplace joke. On Christmas Eve, Shoup’s team doodled a sleigh and reindeer on the large glass map they used to track aircraft. His daughter Terri Van Keuren recalled, “Dad said, ‘What is that?’ They say, ‘Colonel, we’re sorry. We were just making a joke. Do you want us to take that down?’” Instead, Shoup leaned into the moment. He called a local radio station and announced.
This is the commander at the Combat Alert Center, and we have an unidentified flying object. Why, it looks like a sleigh.”
The NORAD Santa Tracker was born, and what started as a lighthearted prank became an annual tradition. Today, the Santa Tracker is a high-tech marvel. NORAD uses radar, satellites, and even heat sensors to monitor Santa’s progress across the globe. Lt. Gen. Case Cunningham explained that Rudolph’s glowing red nose emits a lot of heat, making it easy for their systems to track Santa as he makes his way from the North Pole across time zones.
U.S. Northern Command Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Charles D. Luckey joins volunteers taking phone calls from children during the annual NORAD Tracks Santa Operation, at the North American Aerospace Defense Command, at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. AP Photo
NORAD’s volunteers field more than 130,000 calls on Christmas Eve, answering questions like “When will Santa get to my house?” and “Am I on the naughty or nice list?” Bob Sommers, a longtime volunteer, said there’s always excitement on the line.
There are screams and giggles and laughter,” he said, noting that parents often use the opportunity to encourage their kids to head to bed early.
Shoup, who passed away in 2009, carried the legacy of the tracker with pride. His daughter Terri said he even kept a briefcase filled with thank-you letters from children around the world. “He was an important guy, but this is the thing he’s known for,” she said.
The NORAD Santa Tracker stands as a testament to holiday cheer and one man’s decision to embrace the unexpected. What started with a single phone call has become a cherished tradition, blending military precision with the magic of Christmas.
