PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, CO — In 1955, U.S. Air Force Colonel Harry Shoup took on the role of Santa Claus unexpectedly when he picked up the phone from one child after another looking to speak to Old Saint Nick.

The kids were mistakenly calling the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center (CONAD) after an advertisement promising a “direct line to Santa” ran the wrong contact number in a local newspaper.

Shoup assigned a duty officer to continue answering calls at CONAD, which was initially designed to warn Strategic Air Command of raids from Soviet long-range bomber jets. The holiday tradition that ensued resulted in the operations center tracking Santa – rather than bomber jets – on Christmas Eve.

According to a release on noradsantanews.com, this holiday tradition became known as “NORAD Tracks Santa” after the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center became the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) in 1958. This Christmas marks 65th years of NORAD tracking Santa.

On Dec. 1 of this year, NORAD launched its track Santa website (www.noradsanta.org). According to NORAD’s release, the website depicts the “Santa’s North Pole Village,” complete with a holiday countdown clock, games, and holiday music, among other features.

For those who prefer to track Santa on their smart phones, there’s a NORAD Tracks Santa app available in the Apple App and Google Play stores. Santa can also be tracked through Amazon Alexa with the NORAD Tracks Santa skill and on virtually all major social media platforms.

On Christmas Eve at 4 p.m., Santa will begin preparations for his flight on the NORAD Tracks Santa website. Using “Santa Cams,” NORAD will stream Santa’s various delivery destinations. Those inquiring about Santa’s whereabouts can call 1-877-Hi-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) at 6 a.m. where they’ll either hear a live operator or a recorded update. According to NORAD, the Santa operations center has fewer phone operators this year due to coronavirus concerns, so those who don’t speak to a live operator will get the prerecorded update of Santa’s location.