Christmas 2023: How kids can follow Santa’s Christmas Eve journey, from NORAD to Google Santa Tracker?

A show of hands please how many parents out there have had to explain how Santa manages to travel to all those different countries around the world to provide gifts to the nice children on his list? Keep your hands raised if you’ve found it difficult to explain the sheer physics regarding his Christmas Eve courier service. It’s a difficult task admittedly. 

If we were to get overly scientific for an answer, one could cite the concept of Santa exploiting the concept of time dilation from Einstein's theory of relativity. If Santa travels close to the speed of light or experiences strong gravitational fields (near Earth), time could pass differently for him compared to the rest of the world. This could theoretically allow him to accomplish his global journey in a shorter time from his perspective.

Or if you wanted to bring quantum physics into the equation, there is a theory that Santa could be entangled with multiple locations simultaneously, allowing him to deliver presents to children around the world in a non-linear fashion. But if both seem dry answers, just go with the age-old classic - magic. 

But for those children who are insistent on how Santa can travel around the world in one night, perhaps sitting them down and allowing them to track his journey might be the more practical solution. Rather than trying to explain how he’s undertaking his journey, there are options to show exactly “where” Santa Claus is and where he is travelling to on Christmas Eve. At that point, perhaps even the most sceptical of kids might have some reinvested faith in the notion of Santa Claus.

So how can your children and loved ones follow the epic journey that Santa Claus will have to undertake on Christmas Eve 2023? Well, as it turns out there are two options to do such a thing - one steeped in tradition thanks to an accidental phone call while the other is a modern approach involving satellite imagery and Google Maps.

How to follow Santa’s journey on Christmas Eve 2023?

Official NORAD Tracker

The tradition of NORAD tracking Santa began in 1955. A Sears Roebuck & Co. advertisement included a misprinted phone number that children could call to speak with Santa. The number connected them to the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD), NORAD's predecessor.  When Colonel Harry Shoup, the officer on duty, received numerous calls from children asking about Santa's whereabouts, he and his staff embraced the role of providing updates.

The unplanned event evolved into an annual tradition, with volunteers at NORAD's headquarters on Christmas Eve answering phone calls and emails from children worldwide, providing updates on Santa's progress. Given the advance in technology, which has seen NORAD’s radar systems, satellites, high-tech SantaCams, and fighter jet escort Santa’s sleight, while the phone number still exists, you can easily follow his journey online from Christmas Eve 2023. 

Google Santa Tracker

Google Santa Tracker is a relatively recent addition, starting in 2004. It originated as a 20% project by a group of Google engineers who wanted to create a fun and educational experience for the holiday season. What began as a small project has evolved into a comprehensive platform; Google Santa Tracker incorporates Google Maps and Google Earth to visualize Santa's journey. It also offers interactive games, educational content, and festive experiences leading up to Christmas.

The tracker includes elements designed to teach users about different holiday traditions around the world, making it an educational and entertaining resource for families.