NORAD Santa Tracker Having Record Holiday, Volunteers Answer Over 80,000 Calls

The North American Aerospace Command, which is tracking Santa’s route, said that Santa Claus is also breaking records this Christmas Eve with lots of presents this year.

Each year, volunteers at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado do more than just tracking Santa’s route and answering thousands of calls from children.

According to Associated Press, volunteers this time had fielded more than 80,000 calls on Christmas Eve. Last year, Santa's NORAD official Facebook page had 716,000 likes, but this year it had exceeded 996,000 likes by evening.

Volunteers also said that children started calling from 4 a.m. Saturday for the whereabouts of Santa.

The phones are ringing like crazy, Lieutenant Commander Bill Lewis told Associated Press.

Since 1955, the North American Aerospace Defence Command, known as NORAD, has been tracking Santa's flight. A Colorado Springs newspaper ad in 1955 attracted children to call Santa, but the ad mistakenly printed a wrong number and dozens of kids ended up calling the Continental Aerospace Defence Command, NORAD's predecessor.

When kids started calling, the officers on duty at the time played along and started sharing Santa’s progress reports. Since then it has become a tradition at NORAD.

Even first lady Michelle Obama got into the Christmas mood and answered calls from kids who were anxiously waiting for Santa and his gifts.

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