Military center tracking Santa's sleigh ride

[Bonnie]

NORAD's holiday tradition can by traced to 1955, when a Colorado Springs newspaper printed a Sears, Roebuck & Co. ad telling children of a phone number to talk to Santa. The number was one digit off, and the first child to get through reached the Continental Air Defense Command, NORAD's predecessor.

Col. Harry W. Shoup answered.

[...]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...yQuCwD95926EG0

(A version of this AP story adapted for readers in North Carolina reports that "[t]he path for Santa to visit North Carolina will be clear tonight, Gov. Mike Easley said. The state has lifted its ban on importing reindeer for the day and asked the Federal Aviation Commission to keep the skies over the state clear, he said." -- Bonnie)

[SoToasty]

My wife had this up this morning showing the kids. Much better than the previous versions I have seen. Looks like he is "down under" right now. I wonder how he keeps those presents in his sleigh when he is upside down?

[babyshoes]

This is one of our Christmas Eve traditions. (Gotta love those internets )

The kids and I have already been monitoring Santa's location. Now we're looking forward to him getting to India.

[Bonnie]

Although I was especially interested in how NORAD came to track Santa (the AP has included a photo of the newspaper ad that started the whole thing), I really should've added the site itself. (Thanks for the reminder!)

http://www.noradsanta.org/

Bonnie "I really should be checking myself twice" Taylor

[A Turtle Named Mack]

Wow, what a great test target for SDI!

[CannonFodder]

Originally Posted by A Turtle Named Mack

Wow, what a great test target for SDI!

There will be NO lasering of Santa this year. Likewise surface to air missiles and fighter planes shall not engage him on his peaceful rounds.

Let Santa be Santa! Can't we all just get along?

[Roadie]

I received an e-mail from our state secretary of food & agriculture, giving one Kris Kringle a 24 hour exemption for 9 named reindeer to enter the State of California for 24 hours, as long as they don't mingle with the domestic reindeer, and don't breed while in the state.

[Mama Duck]

Originally Posted by Roadie

I received an e-mail from our state secretary of food & agriculture, giving one Kris Kringle a 24 hour exemption for 9 named reindeer to enter the State of California for 24 hours, as long as they don't mingle with the domestic reindeer, and don't breed while in the state.

Awww, I wanna see. Normally, I'm so cyncial, even other snopesters think I should take it down a notch. So why am I getting all misty-eyed over this thread?

[Roadie]

Originally Posted by Mama Duck

Awww, I wanna see. Normally, I'm so cyncial, even other snopesters think I should take it down a notch. So why am I getting all misty-eyed over this thread?

Here's a link to the press release.

[AnglRdr]

Originally Posted by CannonFodder

There will be NO lasering of Santa this year. Likewise surface to air missiles and fighter planes shall not engage him on his peaceful rounds.

Let Santa be Santa! Can't we all just get along?

No, I am afraid not.

Santa did not stop in my city.

It's on now!