DECEMBER 24, 2025 – The North American Aerospace Defense Command defends the North American airspace 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, and includes the New York Air Guard members of the Eastern Air Defense Sector in Rome, New York.
On Dec. 24, NORAD will add one more element to its mission list as it tracks Santa Claus on his around-the-world flight.
The American and Canadian NORAD personnel at the Eastern Air Defense Sector, or EADS, a unit of the Continental U.S. NORAD Region, are standing by to support this effort.
“EADS is always happy to support NORAD’s Santa tracking operation,” said Col. Joseph F. Roos, EADS commander. “Our highly trained Airmen defend the homeland day and night, and they are prepared and ready to track Santa this Dec. 24.”
A bi-national Canadian and American command, NORAD defends North America through aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning. Aerospace warning includes the monitoring of man-made objects in space, and the detection, validation and warning of attacks against North America, whether by aircraft, missiles or space vehicles, through mutual support arrangements with other commands.
Responsible for the air defense of the eastern U.S., EADS is composed of the New York Air National Guard’s 224th Air Defense Group, a Canadian Armed Forces detachment, U.S. Army and Navy liaison officers, and federal civilians and contractors. EADS also has a squadron and a detachment in the National Capital Region.
The Santa tracking tradition is 70 years old. It began in 1955 when a young child accidentally dialed the unlisted phone number of NORAD’s predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command operations center. The Director of Operations, Col. Harry Shoup, answered the phone and instructed his staff to check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole.
A tradition was born and continued when NORAD was formed in 1958. Each year since, NORAD has dutifully reported Santa’s location on Dec. 24 to millions of children and families across the globe.
The NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center will become fully operational at 4 a.m. Mountain Standard Time on Dec. 24. Children and parents can call 1-877-HI-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) to talk directly to a NORAD staff member who will be able to tell you Santa’s exact location. Operators are available until midnight.
Children, families and fans also keep track of Santa’s location on the NORAD Tracks Santa website and several social media platforms.
By Timothy Jones
New York National Guard