Track Santa with NORAD this Christmas Eve

This Christmas Eve, don't just wait for the jolly old elf to show up in Norwood, track him.

For more than 50 years, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, and its predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) have tracked Santa’s flight.

According to the NORAD website, "The tradition began in 1955 after a Colorado Springs-based Sears Roebuck & Co. advertisement for children to call Santa misprinted the telephone number. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief’s operations "hotline." The Director of Operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, had his staff check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole. Children who called were given updates on his location, and a tradition was born."

In 1958, NORAD was created, which then took on the yearly tradition of tracking Santa.

"Since that time, NORAD men, women, family and friends have selflessly volunteered their time to personally respond to phone calls and emails from children all around the world. In addition, we now track Santa using the Internet. Millions of people who want to know Santa’s whereabouts now visit the NORAD Tracks Santa website," reads the website.

This service is available in seven languages, including English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish and Chinese. On the website today you can find videos, captured by NORAD "Santa Cams," from cities along Santa's journey.

The NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center (NTSOC) is open December 24 at 6:00 a.m. EST until 5:00 a.m. EST on December 25. Children of all ages can call the NTS toll-free number 1-877-Hi-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) or send an email to noradtrackssanta@gmail.com. This year you can also track Santa with the offical NORAD Track Santa App, available for iPhone and Android.