Norad Santa tracker 2023: Follow Father Christmas live as he delivers presents all over the world
Tonight is the night Santa starts delivering presents to children around the world.
Father Christmas' annual global adventure started this morning. Setting out, naturally, from the North Pole he first visits countries out in the South Pacific before heading across Asia and Europe - including the UK - before continuing west towards America.
NASA’s North American Aerospace Defense Command (Norad) and Google's Santa trackers mean you can keep track the journey made by Santa and his trusty reindeer over the course of Christmas Eve.
2023 is the 68th year Norad has followed his progress, having first completed the mission in 1955.
Despite this experience, Norad warns: "Keep in mind, Santa's route can be affected by weather, so it's really unpredictable. Norad coordinates with Santa's Elf Launch Staff to confirm his launch time, but from that point on, Santa calls the shots. We just track him!"
However, it also adds: "Norad tracks Santa, but only Santa knows his route, which means we cannot predict where and when he will arrive at your house. We do, however, know from history that it appears he arrives only when children are asleep! In most countries, it seems Santa arrives between 9.00pm and midnight on December 24. If children are still awake when Santa arrives, he moves on to other houses. He returns later, but only when the children are asleep!"
Normally the US and Canadian organisation monitors aerospace for any likelihood of nuclear attacks, throughout the year, but at this time of year it watches the sky for more cheerful reasons.
Norad explains: "Twenty four hours a day, 365 days a year, Norad tracks airplanes, missiles, space launches and anything else that flies in or around the North American continent, while also completing some other very important missions.
"While the tradition of tracking Santa began purely by accident, Norad continues to track Santa. We're the only organization that has the technology, the qualifications, and the people to do it. And, we love it! Norad is honored to be Santa's official tracker!"
