Santa Tracker 2017: Follow Along On NORAD

With Christmas 2017 almost here, you might find yourself wondering exactly what Santa Claus and his crew are up to this holiday season (we certainly are!). Well, you happen to be in luck as there are several ways you can track Santa's journey from the North Pole to your home.

The North American Air Defense Command or NORAD will be at work again tracking Santa's every move. According to NORAD, Santa and his crew still have a few hours to go before takeoff, which is scheduled for 2 a.m. eastern time on Christmas eve. In the meantime, you can explore Santa's village at the North Pole and read about Santa or watch movies about him.

NORAD isn't the only option if you're following Santa this year. A North Pole press release reported that after a profitable 2016, Santa’s workshop hired a team of tech-savvy elves to work in a virtual Santa's Village on Google this year.

Every day until the big day new games and activities will be unlocked. Get in an epic digital snowball fight, help Santa map the most efficient sleigh route or snap an “elfie” to show off your holiday plans. (The recently-hired elves are all millennials.)

Once Christmas Eve hits on Dec. 24, use Google’s Santa Tracker to get boots-on-the-ground info straight from the sleigh’s GPS. Search for Santa directly on Google Maps or click here for real-time updates and street views of the neighborhoods he's visiting. For what it's worth, Google's forecast has Santa departing a few hours after NORAD.

>>>Track Santa via NORAD here

>>>Track Santa's journey live on Google Santa Tracker here

You can use the two trackers to compare arrival times. After all, you’ll want to be the first to know when the reindeer leave the North Pole so you can start plating your milk and cookies spread.

Also See: 5 Celebrities Who Hate Christmas

Photo: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images