Christmas is now famously associated with Santa Claus who arrives every year to deliver presents to people all over the world. Boys and girls in the UK will already have had their presents delivered (if they’ve been good all year) but Father Christmas is still in his sleigh heading to countries who are ahead of the UK in different time zones. The NORAD (North American Aerospace Defence Command) Santa Tracker has been following Father Christmas for over 60 years and allows people to see where the red-suited man is throughout Christmas Eve and into Christmas Day.
Tuesday 25 December, 9:58pm
Santa is now winging his way across the Pacific Ocean to Honolulu, Hawaii, US. He’s delivered well over six million presents so far.
Monday 24 December, 4:39pm
Father Christmas is now en route to Kazakhstan, and has delivered close to two million gifts so far. He has a busy night ahead!
Monday 24 December, 3.05pm
Santa has visited Wuhan, China and is now off to Xi’an, China. He has dropped off over 1,200,000,000 presents.
Monday 24 December, 2.35pm
The Great Wall of China was Santa’s last stop-off and now he’s shooting across the sky in his sleigh to Irkutsk Oblast, Russia.
Monday 24 December, 2.12pm
Santa has left Kyoto, Japan and will head next to Yokohama, Japan having delivered well over 970,000,000 gifts.
Monday 24 December, 1.50pm
The tubby toymaker has been sighted in Darwin, Australia and is now en route to Dili, East Timor. He has delivered over 859,000,000 presents.
Monday 24 December, 1.15pm
Father Christmas is heading to Kimbe, Papua New Guinea after a stop off at Yigo, Guam.
Monday 24 December, 12.50pm
Santa Claus was last seen in Kurilsk, Kuril Islands and is heading to Yakutsk, Russia. He has delivered over 559,000,000 presents.
Monday 24 December, 12.20pm
Santa is now on the move. He was last seen in Antarctica and is now heading to Suva, Fiji.
He has delivered well over 409,000,000 presents.
The popular tool uses technologically-advanced satellites to track Santa Claus as he and his reindeers gallop through the skies.
The tradition of NORAD tracking Father Christmas started decades ago after a local shop printed an advert that provided a number that could be used to reach Santa.
However, the number was misprinted and was actually the line for NORAD’s (previously CONAD, Continental Air Defense Command) commander-in-chief’s operation hotline.
The NORAD Santa Tracker is immediately distinguishable for its 3D model of Father Christmas and his reindeer that move in real-time.
The software tells users where Santa was last seen in addition to where he is heading next.
Moreover, the software also has a tally for how many gifts Father Christmas has given out.
Last year Santa’s first stop-off was Papua New Guinea where he delivered an astounding 714,813,526 gifts.
He also visited Sydney and Canberra, Australia; Babeldoab, Palau; Japan; South Korea, Brunei; Macau; Malaysia and India, as well as many more.
Father Christmas has yet to leave the North Pole this year and is most likely checking his list twice to see if people have been naughty or nice before he heads out later today with his sack full of goodies.
Santa’s progress can be followed on a computer, smartphone or tablet using NORAD.
Google has also created an app that will follow the progress of Santa and his sleigh throughout the day and night.
Google Santa Tracker is available to download for free on the Google Play Store but can also be used on desktops via the Google Santa Tracker website.
The application is the perfect way to track the progression of Father Christmas on the go.
The software presents users with a cartoon representation of Santa and will mark the location of places he has already visited.
At the bottom of the screen the app states where Father Christmas currently is in addition to how many gifts he has already delivered.
The app also features a number of games that are perfect for making the wait to Christmas fly by.
Additionally, Google Santa Tracker allows users to make their own elf and decorate them with a troop of accessories.
