A child’s call to a military hotline in 1955 unintentionally launched one of the most iconic Christmas traditions: NORAD’s Santa Tracker. The mix-up began with a Sears holiday ad featuring the wrong number.
Colonel Harry Shoup, who answered the call at the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD), was startled to hear a child asking for Santa. Recognizing the sincerity of the call, Shoup played along and assigned staff to answer additional calls as Santa.
In December 1955 a child accidentally called a colonel at an air base in Colorado Springs asking for 'Santa' – all because of a misprint in a newspaper advert.
Colonel Harry Shoup answered the call. His daughter Terri tells the story of how the NORAD Santa Tracker begun 👇… pic.twitter.com/l0lepLS1Kw
— Sky News (@SkyNews) December 24, 2024
The misprinted Sears ad had invited children to call Santa directly but listed the military hotline instead. What could have been an annoyance became a heartwarming effort as Shoup embraced the calls and spread holiday cheer.
How NORAD's Santa tracker was ACCIDENTALLY launched by a child's call to a top secret phone linehttps://t.co/Sat5VOQOJ6
— Michael Rivero (@WRH_Mike_Rivero) December 25, 2023
On Christmas Eve, staff humorously added a sleigh and reindeer to a radar tracking board. Shoup joined in the fun, sharing updates on Santa’s “journey” with a local radio station. This marked the beginning of the Santa Tracker.
In the decades since, the tradition has expanded. Families can now follow Santa through a dedicated website, mobile app, and hotline, with updates available in nine languages. By the 1970s, Santa’s progress was even featured on television.
With over 1,250 volunteers participating each year, the Santa Tracker has grown into a global event. Shoup’s family remains involved, keeping alive the tradition that started with one unforgettable phone call.
