US' NORAD says Santa Claus is coming 'with a mask on'; COVID-19 won’t stop him

It's that time of the year when the ringing of Christmas bells brings joy, and people anticipate cakes, puddings and a feast with family. With only a few hours remaining for Christmas, the joint US-Canadian military operation has started tracking the Jolly Old Saint Nicholas, who is on his global mission to bring cheer and happiness. For 66 years, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has been providing real-time updates on Santa's progress. The operation starts on December 24 from 4 am to midnight. 

NORAD’s Santa Tracker gives families a chance to watch Father Christmas in 3D as he travels the South Pacific, Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Operating from NORAD headquarters, dozens of volunteers answer unrelenting phone calls to 1-877-HI-NORAD (1-877-446-6723). The programme manager and NORAD spokesman, Preston Schlachter, said the calls include curious children asking questions like "When will he come to my house? What kind of cookies does he like? "

US: Santa Claus is coming and COVID-19 won’t stop him says NORAD

People can track Santa by visiting the official website of NoradSanta.org or by following NORAD on Twitter. Schlachter said, even days before Christmas our webpage was visited more than 3 million times. Every household, every country is having to deal with the impact of this pandemic. "Santa Claus is an icon, and he is a source of joy for a lot of people," he added. In view of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic, Santa Claus will be wearing a mask and gloves at each stop, said Schlachter.

Notably, NORAD’s website provides detailed information about the voyage (e.g., the weight of gifts at takeoff: 60,000 tons, or 54,600 metric tons; sleigh propulsion: nine RP, or reindeer power). It started back in 1955 when a child called a number of thinking she was calling Santa, and Air Force Col Harry Shoup, the on-duty commander, answered the call that night at NORAD’s predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command.

Shoup "answered the call, thought it was a prank at first, but then realised what had happened and assured the child that he was Santa, and thus started the tradition that we are celebrating now, 66 years later," Schlachter said.

NORAD's mission is to keep a check on the skies above North America for any potential threat. On early Christmas Eve, the Santa operation starts when a cluster of radar stations in northern Canada and Alaska follow the signals emanating from Rudolph's nose. NORAD’s array of geostationary satellites above the Earth monitors the journey. On every Christmas eve, the show is broadcasted on large, "unclassified" screens in a decorated command post at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs. Volunteers sit amid the Christmas trees, plenty of caffeine-laden candy and coffee, and answer phone calls with a military mission motto, "We Have the Watch," and when it comes to Santa, NORAD says, "Santa Calls the Shots." We just tracked him. "

(Image: AP)

(With Inputs from AP)