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Norad Santa tracker – LIVE: Follow Santa Claus as he delivers Christmas gifts on start of global journey

He’s made his list, he’s checked it twice – join us on Father Christmas’s journey around the world

Tom Murray,Tara Cobham,Albert Toth
Tuesday 24 December 2024 22:48 GMT
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Santa delivers presents by boat in Brazil’s Amazon

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Santa Claus and his reindeer have begun their journey around the globe, with billions of stops to make in less than 24 hours.

Father Christmas is currently steering his sleigh through the Pacific, having already delivered hundreds of millions of gifts.

Every Christmas Eve, Norad – the North American Aerospace Defense Command – provides real-time tracking of Santa’s sleigh as it navigates the skies.

The cherished tradition dates back to 1955 when a misprint in a department store advert led a young child to call a Colorado military command center asking to speak to Santa Claus.

Air Force Colonel Harry Shoup, who picked up the call that night, played along and assured the child he was Santa. As more calls poured in, he assigned an officer to handle the queries, starting a festive custom that Norad continued after its creation in 1958.

For decades, Norad has swapped its usual airspace monitoring duties to answer children’s questions about Santa’s journey and his astonishing present-delivery operation. Each year, at least 100,000 kids call into the organisation to inquire about Santa’s location. Millions more follow online – in nine languages – as St Nick swoops along the earth’s meridians.

Stay tuned for updates as we follow Santa’s magical route across the world.

Santa reaches Japan

After a short skip across the Pacific Ocean, Santa has now reached Sapporo, at the northern tip of Japan. He be now making his way south, being sure to visit all the islands that make up the East Asian nation.

Next stop is the capital city – Tokyo!

Albert Toth24 December 2024 14:11

More than one billion gifts now delivered

Santa Claus has already delivered more than one billion gifts to children around the globe.

Next stop – Japan!

Tara Cobham24 December 2024 14:00

Santa leaves Australia and is now delivering gifts in East Timor before West Papua

Santa has left Australia and is now heading to East Timor to deliver gifts.

He has just stopped in Dili.

Next he will be in Sorong, West Papua.

Santa has now left Australia
Santa has now left Australia (Getty Images)
Tara Cobham24 December 2024 13:52

Father Christmas makes his way across Australia

Father Christmas is now making his way across Australia.

His last stop was Brisbane, his next is Sydney.

He and his reindeer have already delivered more than 900 million gifts.

Tara Cobham24 December 2024 13:34

From Papua New Guinea to Australia where it is almost Christmas Day

Santa Claus is fast making his way to Australia after stopping in Papua New Guinea.

He was last seen in Daru and will next be delivering gifts in Cooktown, where it is almost midnight and so very soon will be Christmas Day.

Tara Cobham24 December 2024 13:26

Father Christmas has just left Sakhalin Island and heads for Northern Mariana Islands

Father Christmas has just left Nevelsk in Sakhalin Island.

He is headed for San Vincente in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, where he will be delivering presents in a few minutes’ time.

Father Christmas has just left Nevelsk in Sakhalin Island
Father Christmas has just left Nevelsk in Sakhalin Island (Norad)
Tara Cobham24 December 2024 13:07

Santa’s next stop is the Kuril Islands

Santa’s next stop is Kurilsk in the Kuril Islands, which stretch between Japan and Russia and separate the Sea of Okhotsk from the north Pacific Ocean.

He just delivered gifts to across Palikir in the Federated States of Micronesia.

Tara Cobham24 December 2024 12:44

Volunteers are busy taking calls via the Norad Tracks Santa hotline

Volunteers are busy taking calls via the Norad Tracks Santa hotline.

They typically answer more than 130,000 calls from children across the globe.

You can call them at 1-877-446-6723

Tara Cobham24 December 2024 12:40

Last seen in New Caledonia and heading for Vanuatu

Father Christmas was last seen in New Caledonia.

He is now heading for Vanuatu, where he will be delivering gifts in just a few seconds.

Father Christmas is now heading for Vanuatu, where he will be delivering gifts in just a few seconds
Father Christmas is now heading for Vanuatu, where he will be delivering gifts in just a few seconds (Norad)
Tara Cobham24 December 2024 12:27

Watch Live: Norad tracks Santa’s annual journey delivering presents around the world

Watch live as Santa Claus begins his yearly lap around the world, being pulled by his nine reindeer to deliver presents to children across the globe:

Norad tracks Santa’s annual journey delivering presents around the world

Watch live as Santa Claus begins his yearly lap around the world, being pulled by his nine reindeer to deliver presents to children across the globe.

Tara Cobham24 December 2024 12:22

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