On the web: Military monitors Santa’s flight

Every year since 1955, the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) simulates the path of Santa Claus as he leaves the North Pole and delivers gifts to children around the world.

For Christmas 2024, NORAD has added an AI chatbot to its tracking site, although its AI capabilities are quite limited in scope, according to an initial test. NORAD Tracks Santa officially started on December 1, but the actual simulation starts at midnight on December 24.

Check out the NORAD Tracks Santa site in advance to play web games, watch videos about Santa and NORAD, listen to Santa’s favorite holiday songs, learn more about Santa and his traditions, discover what NORAD does, and chat with Radar (the AI chatbot).

The real-time simulation can take on martial proportions, as this video from Christmas 2013 shows. In the video, Santa’s reindeer sleigh is referred to as “The Big Red One” (which is also the name of the famous 1st Infantry Division of the US Army):

NORAD is a joint command of the United States of America and Canada that monitors the airspace over North America and provides “early warning of missile, air, and spacecraft attacks on North America.” Back in 1955, NORAD’s predecessor organization was the first to launch the gag of tracking Santa’s flight on Christmas Eve — back then, without the internet or YouTube, of course.

The NORAD Tracks Santa site has a big time tracker that’s counting down to the start of Santa’s famous sleigh ride. Go check it out and don’t forget to tune in on December 24 to watch him do his thing!