Skip to content
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Menu
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Happy News

From a Mistake to a Tradition: The Heartwarming Origin of NORAD’s Santa Tracker

In 1955, a misprinted phone number in a Colorado Springs newspaper turned a military hotline into a source of holiday magic, giving birth to the beloved NORAD Santa Tracker. Col. Harry Shoup, then commander of the Continental Air Defense Command, was the first to answer a child’s call asking about Santa Claus. Realizing the mix-up stemmed from a Sears ad mistakenly listing his top-secret hotline number as Santa’s, Shoup embraced the festive spirit, speaking with the child and playing along as Santa himself.

What began as a lighthearted moment soon became a flurry of calls, with airmen at the command center pitching in to answer children’s questions. On Christmas Eve, a reindeer and sleigh doodled on the defense tracking board sparked Shoup’s idea to share Santa updates with a local radio station. The creative gesture was an instant hit, and NORAD’s Santa Tracker was officially born.

Decades later, the tracker remains a cherished tradition. Each Christmas Eve, NORAD volunteers field over 130,000 calls from curious kids eager to know Santa’s whereabouts. Shoup, lovingly nicknamed “Santa Colonel,” carried the memory of those first magical calls for the rest of his life, treasuring letters from children who thanked him for bringing Santa’s journey to life. Today, the Santa Tracker continues to spread joy, reminding us of the power of imagination and the warmth of holiday traditions.

PrevPrevious94-Year-Old Conquers Antarctica with Her Grandson, Proving Age Is Just a Number
Next18 Children Find Forever Homes at Holiday Adoption EventNext

Recent Articles

Happy News

The PFAS Problem Finally Gets A Solution

February 2, 2026

Researchers at Rice University have developed groundbreaking filtration technology that may absorb PFAS forever chemicals at 100 times the rate previously possible, offering hope to communities across the globe that have struggled with contaminated water supplies for decades. PFAS, short for per and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are man made chemicals dating

Read More
Happy News

The Animal Shelter That Ran Out Of Pets

February 2, 2026

Bide Awhile Animal Shelter in Dartmouth Nova Scotia is experiencing what staff are calling the best problem they’ve ever had, with zero animals currently available for adoption because demand has skyrocketed beyond anything they’ve seen before. The shelter announced on January 22, 2026 that for the first time in recent

Read More
Happy News

Webb Just Captured The Most Stunning Nebula Image Ever

February 2, 2026

The James Webb Space Telescope has captured the most spectacular infrared image ever taken of the Helix Nebula, one of the closest planetary nebulae to Earth located approximately 655 light years from our Solar System and nicknamed the Eye of God or Eye of Sauron for its striking ring like

Read More
« Previous Next »
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2026 HappyNews.