North American Aerospace Defense Command’s Santa Web site going live

[bigjimslade]

I just got this press release form NORAD.

 

North American Aerospace Defense Command’s Santa Web site going live

 

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. – In advance of holiday season and the 51st season of NORAD tracking Santa Claus on his annual journey around the world, the bi-national command tasked with providing aerospace security for North America announces that the NORAD Tracks Santa Web site www.noradsanta.org will go live Nov. 17, 2006.

 

The NTS program began in 1955 when an errant phone call was made to NORAD’s predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) Operations Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The call was from a local child who dialed a misprinted telephone number in a local newspaper advertisement. Although the wrong number, the commander who answered the phone that night gave the youngster the information he requested – the whereabouts of Santa Claus … thus the tradition of NORAD tracking Santa began.

 

The program has grown immensely since it was first presented on the Internet in 1998. In 2005, the Web site received a whopping 912 million hits from 204 countries and territories. In addition, the NTS Operations Center, occupied by 550 volunteers on Christmas Eve, answered nearly 55,000 phone calls and nearly 98,240 emails from children around the world.

 

The Web site features the history of the program, information on how NORAD tracks Santa and interactive games. On December 24, beginning at 2:00 a.m. Mountain Standard Time (4 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, 9 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time), the Web site will feature a minute-by-minute update on Santa’s travels around the world. All of this information is available English, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish.

 

The NORAD Tracks Santa Web site and program would not be possible without the support and generosity of the following organizations:

 

Island Web Studios

America On Line

Akami

Analytical Graphics, Inc

Globelink Language and Cultural Services, Inc.

Qwest Communications

Verizon

Microsoft Virtual Earth

 

 

NOTE TO MEDIA MEMBERS: Media outlet representatives interested in covering the 2006 “NORAD Tracks Santa” program – either live, taped or for periodic updates during live radio or television programming – should contact Master Sgt. Tony Hill, NTS program coordinator, NORAD Public Affairs Office, at 719-554-4072, or Mr. Michael Kucharek, NTS media coordinator, NORAD Public Affairs Office at (719) 554-9618.

[beccas302]

I love NORAD Santa tracking! Every year, my son asks to see "where santa is now". Actually, for the first few years we've been viewing it, I think *I* have had more fun watching it than he has!

[bigjimslade]

I love NORAD Santa tracking! Every year, my son asks to see "where santa is now". Actually, for the first few years we've been viewing it, I think *I* have had more fun watching it than he has!

I feel the same way as you. It is one of the best santa sites out there. They do it 100% first class. I have people in my family who are in there 20s who will check the site every hour to get a update.