NORAD Santa Tracker 2025: Watch Father Christmas and his reindeers race across world to deliver gifts – live updates

Down at the Daily Mail office reporters are already getting in the festive spirit…

We’ll leave you with this gem while we wait for Santa to get a move on.

Our journalists are working hard to deliver you the latest news from Britain and all the world over this Christmas Eve.

What do you think of their MOVES

After leaving his workshop on the North Pole, Santa usually starts his journey at the international date line, an imaginary line in the Pacific Ocean, and heads west.

It means he often heads to the South Pacific first before flying across New Zealand and Australia. Afterwards he goes to Japan, across Asia before flying to Africa and Western Europe before crossing the Atlantic to homes in Canada, the United States, Mexico before ending up in Central and South America.

‘The time is near’.

It isn’t long now – we’ve just heard from our elf sources in the North Pole that Santa is getting ready for take-off.

Stay tuned for all the latest updates…

Can you hear those sleigh bells ringing yet? NORAD have confirmed Santa’s takeoff is expected ‘within the hour’.

I don’t know about you but here in the office we are on the edge of our seats…

Meanwhile, enjoy this photo of a certain Olly Murs who was spotted at the Paddy Power World Darts Championship in Alexandra Palace yesterday.

The singer, 41, rocked a festive darts themed Christmas jumper which had ‘You miss, you drink’, written across the front.

Let’s hope Santa doesn’t miss today as he drops his piles upon piles of presents down the million of great British chimneys.

Or indeed, that he still can fit. Chimney flues should never be less than 5′′ diameter – here’s to Brits abiding by the planning rules.

The annual Christmas Eve tradition of tracking Santa began in 1955 when a child in the US accidentally dialled the number of NORAD’s prededecessor CONAD (Continental Air Defense Command) after seeing an advert in a Colorado-based newspaper urging children to call Santa.

The then director of operations Colonel Harry Shoup, answered the phone and instructed his staff to check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole.

The tradition continued when NORAD was formed in 1958 and every year since it has reported Santa’s location on Christmas Eve to millions of children and families across the globe.

A few Father Christmas fans have been left distraught amid ‘conflicting’ Santa trackers.

It just goes to show you’re probably best off sticking with our Daily Mail live blog as we bring you accurate and verified updates from trusted sources.

Volunteers take phone calls from children asking where Santa is

More than 1,000 Canadian and American uniformed personnel, Department of War civilians and local people volunteer their time on Christmas Eve to answer hundreds of thousands of phone calls that flood in from around the world asking for Santa’s location.

Children, families and fans also keep track of Santa’s location on the NORAD website and its social media platforms.

NORAD, otherwise known as the North American Aerospace Defense Command, is a joint US-Canadian military organisation that monitors North American airspace to detect threats such as aircraft and missiles.

NORAD is headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado, which also serves as the headquarters of United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), which was set up by George W. Bush in the wake of the September 11 terror attacks in 2001.

Norad’s satellites and radar technology are now all ready to track Santa as he delivers billions of presents over the course of the day.

What’s more, turkeys aren’t the only thing getting STUFFED today as the streets of London are packed with eagle-eyed Santa fans waiting to get a glimpse of his big sleigh.

Here are some of them donning festive hats and holding unusual signs.

We’re now just waiting on the big man himself to give the go-ahead – and then we’ll be letting you know where he is throughout the day.

NORAD has the latest on the weather – and apparently conditions at the North Pole are ‘good’ for flying.

It will come as a relief for Santa, no doubt, after a rocky few weeks on the climate front in the UK and around the world.

With no anticipated delays to the trip, surely we’ll be all smooth sailing…

Good morning and Merry Christmas Eve.

In this widely anticipated live blog we will be tracking Santa’s every move as he jets around the world today, helped by his team of trusty reindeer.

Whether he’s in Zimbabwe or Pakistan you won’t want to miss a thing – in fact, there is even a special onboard camera so we can watch his progress live!

With take off imminent, stay tuned … could St Nick be turning up at your door next?