Norad Santa tracker 2025 live: Follow Father Christmas as he delivers presents around the world
Norad is tracking St Nick’s speedy trip around the globe as he delivers presents worldwide
Santa Claus and his reindeer are on their way to billions of homes around the world as he delivers presents for Christmas.
After weeks of preparation at the workshop, Father Christmas has departed west from the North Pole, and will visit the South Pacific before passing through Asia, Africa, Europe, and crossing the Atlantic to the Americas.
Every Christmas Eve, Norad – the North American Aerospace Defense Command – provides real-time tracking of Santa’s sleigh as it navigates the skies.
It is a tradition dating back to 1955, after a misprint in a department store advert led a young child to call a Colorado military command center asking to speak to Santa Claus, prompting a festive custom in which Norad answer children’s questions about Santa’s journey.
Each year, at least 100,000 kids call into the organisation to inquire about Santa’s location. Millions more follow online – in nine languages – as St Nick swoops along the earth’s meridians.
Stay tuned for updates as we follow Santa’s magical route across the world.
Santa returns home to the North Pole
The NORAD Santa tracking team have wrapped up their services after Santa has safely returned home on his sleigh.
This year Santa successfully delivered a whopping 8,231,970,628 presents across the globe!
The volunteer team of trackers have said: “That’s a wrap! Thank you to everyone who tracked Santa with NORAD this year—what an amazing journey. We loved sharing the magic with you. See you back in 2026 for more holiday cheer!”
Photos show Norad's team tracking Santa's sleigh
Norad said they have received more than 64,000 calls from families around the world tracking Santa’s journey tonight.
According to its website, Norad detects Santa's liftoff with its polar radar network, then follows his journey with the same satellites used to warn of any possible missile launches aimed at North America.
As soon as Santa's lead reindeer, Rudolph, switches on his shiny red nose, military personnel can zero in on his location using the satellites' infrared sensors.
Santa sighted over Stonehenge on Christmas Eve
Santa was spotted flying on his reindeer-powered sleigh over the Stonehenge on Christmas Eve.
In a picturesque post shared on social media at 6.57pm last night, a silhouette of the jolly St Nick can be seen against the starry night sky above the historic Welsh landmark.
Christmas in Bethleham: Worshippers attend morning Mass at Nativity Church
Christan worshippers have attended a morning Mass at Saint Catherine’s Church, in the Church of the Nativity located in Bethlehem.
Bethleham, the birthplace of Christ, is currently situated in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Here are some photos of the Mass service:
Trump asks kids what they want for Christmas
US President Donald Trump took calls from children around the globe at the annual Santa tracker event on Christmas Eve.
When one of the kids said they wanted a Kindle from Santa, Trump said “Oh wow, you must be a high IQ person. We need more high IQ people in the country. We definitely need more high IQ.”
Where’s Santa? The true story behind NORAD’S 70-year tracking tradition
The magic of Christmas Eve often brings a unique question for children and adults alike: Where is Santa?
For 70 years, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has provided the answer, transforming its Cold War-era mission of monitoring skies for threats into a beloved tradition of tracking St Nick's global journey.
Millions now check up on the jolly figure said to deliver presents around the world.
This Christmas Eve, over 1,000 dedicated volunteers will staff the 1-877-HI-NORAD hotline from 4am to midnight Mountain Standard Time, ready to field calls from eager Santa-seekers.
Read more as reporter Colleen Slevin explains the origins of this tracking tradition:
Where’s Santa? The true story behind NORAD’S 70-year tracking tradition
Pope in photos as Christmas celebrated in the Vatican
Pope Leo XIV presides over his first Christmas Day Mass at the St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican.
The first US-born pope was elected in may by the world’s cardinals during a conclave and succeeded the late Pope Francis.
Here are some photos of his first Christmas as the Pope:
Santa is travelling over the Pacific Ocean on his final stretch
The NORAD’s advanced air base tracking aircraft has confirmed that Santa is travelling south from Alaska over the Pacific ocean, marking the final stretch of his Christmas Eve journey.
Tracking crews remain watching as Santa heads home using the E-3 Sentry aircraft which is an airborne warning and control system.
This device is able to detect Santa “despite the fact that he flies faster than starlight” and is able to provide an accurate, real time image of the area.
Santa nears the final few stops of his Christmas Eve journey
Santa nears the final few stops of his Christmas Eve journey and has been spotted flying over snow-covered landscapes in Anchorage, Alaska.
The NORAD has confirmed there are no major travel disruptions and his "sleigh is moving right on schedule".
The Alaska NORAS Region Commander has reported that Santa was spotted over Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in the US.
It shared that “Anchorage is Alaska’s most populous city and contains more than 40 per cent of the state’s total population. That will surely make for one busy stop for Santa, but we know he is up to the task.”
The organisation added: “With sometimes less than six hours of sunlight per day in the winter, Anchorage also boasts the most espresso coffee stands per capita than anywhere in the US.”
Elon Musk shares Grok's version of Santa's Christmas run
Elon Musk also joined the festive fun by sharing a visualisation created by Grok, the AI chatbot developed by his company xAI, showing Santa Claus racing across the sky in his sleigh.
The post highlighted how Grok, known for generating real-time visuals and explanations on X, has become part of the Christmas Eve spectacle.
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