NORAD’s Santa Tracker: A Global Holiday Tradition for Families and Tourists Alike, Here’s All You Need to Know

Published on December 25, 2025

The NORAD Santa Tracker is a highlight of the holiday season for many families, with updates available on the NORAD website, app, and even via social media. It allows children and adults alike to follow Santa’s route in real time, watching as he passes through major cities, festive landmarks, and even remote parts of the world. Each year, NORAD’s Santa Tracker team uses the latest technology to track Santa’s sleigh, keeping tabs on his location as he zips around the globe, delivering gifts with his reindeer-led sleigh.

Santa’s progress can be seen on the map, which is updated every minute. Viewers can watch as Santa heads across oceans, through continents, and into different time zones, delivering presents to children in nearly every country. The map even shows the exact number of gifts Santa has delivered so far, with the 2025 tracking session showing a whopping seven billion gifts delivered by the time Santa reaches the UK and Europe.

Santa’s Journey Across the World
This year, Santa has already made his way through numerous countries, starting his journey from the North Pole. After flying past Singapore and Indonesia, he made his way into Europe, reaching the UK and Ireland around 7 PM GMT. As he heads into the Faroe Islands, Santa is progressing rapidly, aided by his magical reindeer team: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen, all led by Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer.

Santa’s journey is a global spectacle, with billions of people watching eagerly to see where he goes next. By the time he reached Ireland and then the UK, thousands of people across these regions were glued to their screens, tracking his every move. Major cities like London, Dublin, and Edinburgh celebrated Santa’s arrival with festive cheer, even receiving special live updates via the NORAD app.

The journey takes Santa through some of the most iconic landmarks on Earth, including the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, and he can be seen flying past other famous sites like the Eiffel Tower and the Colosseum. It’s a global event that brings people together to celebrate the magic of the season.

The Holiday Fun and Impact on Travel
The NORAD Santa Tracker has become an integral part of holiday festivities for families worldwide, with many parents and children using it as a fun way to mark the hours leading up to Christmas morning. Aside from the excitement of tracking Santa’s travels, the event serves as a reminder of the holiday spirit and the global nature of Christmas celebrations.

This tradition also has a significant impact on travel and tourism. As Santa visits countries across the globe, it brings attention to the many places he flies over. Families traveling for the holidays often use the opportunity to explore destinations that Santa passes, such as enjoying winter vacations in countries where snow is abundant, or visiting landmarks in cities that Santa visits, like Paris, New York, or Tokyo. The excitement around Santa’s global journey also encourages people to plan their own travel during the festive season.

Fun Facts: Santa’s Speed and Krampus’ Role in European Traditions
As Santa makes his way around the globe, NORAD updates enthusiasts with fun facts, like the astonishing speed at which he travels. His sleigh is known to move faster than the speed of sound, allowing him to deliver presents in just 24 hours. This incredible speed and efficiency add to the wonder of the holiday season, showing that magic is indeed at work.

In Europe, another holiday figure—Krampus—is part of the tradition. While Santa brings gifts to the good children, Krampus is known for punishing those who have been naughty. Originating from Austrian folklore, Krampus is part of the Christmas tradition in countries like Germany, Croatia, and Slovenia, where he has his own parades and festivities. The juxtaposition of Santa and Krampus highlights the diversity of Christmas traditions, especially in Europe.

The Importance of NORAD’s Santa Tracker for Holiday Spirit
The NORAD Santa Tracker serves more than just a fun pastime; it has become a way for families to engage with the global holiday celebration. With live updates and interactive features, the tracker adds a sense of excitement to Christmas Eve, making it an event that brings families closer and creates lasting memories. In addition, the tracking event helps promote goodwill and unity across nations, as people from different countries come together to follow Santa’s journey, celebrating the universal joy of the holiday season.

Future of the NORAD Santa Tracker: Keeping the Tradition Alive
As technology continues to evolve, the NORAD Santa Tracker is expected to become even more interactive and immersive in future years. Whether through augmented reality features or enhanced mobile applications, NORAD is likely to continue improving the tracking experience, further enhancing its role in holiday celebrations. It also raises awareness of the technological capabilities used to track and monitor global events, while bringing the magic of Christmas to life in an innovative way.

The Magic of Santa’s Journey and Its Global Appeal

The tracking of Santa’s journey by NORAD is a tradition and a part of the holiday season itself for families around the world. Santa’s journey also emphasizes the need for travel and unity and diversity in various cultures observed during the holiday season itself. With Santa’s journey creating wonders and joy in the lives of kids around the world at his incredible speeds, the holiday season also emphasizes the need for travel.