Santa and his reindeer are setting off on their global journey to deliver presents this Christmas - and you can follow St Nick's progress right here.
Based at the North Pole with Mrs Claus and the elves, Santa has spent 12 long months creating the toys he is going to deliver on Christmas Day. Each year on December 24, Santa and his reindeer set off very early in the morning for their trip around the world.
And one of the most loved traditions is following Father Christmas on his mammoth journey. To help kids check where Santa is and how long it might take him to reach their homes, every year the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) tracks him on a simulator.
Follow his progress on our NORAD Santa tracker blog below.
What route does Santa travel?
Santa usually starts at the International Date Line in the Pacific Ocean and travels west.
So, historically, Santa visits the South Pacific first, then New Zealand and Australia. After that, he shoots up to Japan, over to Asia, across to Africa, then onto Western Europe, Canada, the United States, Mexico and Central and South America.
Keep in mind, Santa's route can be affected by weather, so it's really unpredictable. NORAD coordinates with Santa's Elf Launch Staff to confirm his launch time, but from that point on, Santa calls the shots.
In most countries, it seems Santa arrives between 9pm and midnight.
Santa is making the final preparations before setting off
Santa is due to begin his epic Christmas Eve trek around the world in just under two hours.
The Mirror understands he is going over the route with his reindeer one last time after a successful practice flight around the North Pole.
He is also waiting for a fresh batch of mince pies to come out of the oven, which he will snack on in between stops.
Santa faces 75mph winds as he flies into UK
Strong winds may cause flying debris and power cuts, and ruin last-minute Christmas getaway travel plans, forecasters have warned.
Gusts as high as 70mph are due to hit much of Scotland and northern and central areas of England on Christmas Eve - but it's nothing that Santa's magical sleigh and reindeer can't handle!
For the rest of us meanwhile, two separate yellow wind warnings have been issued by the Met Office, saying people should expect travel disruption, damage to buildings and power cuts, while the rest of the country may see showers during the day.
Forecaster Jonathan Vautrey said: "Obviously there will be quite a lot of people travelling and wanting to get home for Christmas itself. Particularly with these strong winds we could see some flying debris thrown on to particular roads or railway services, so if you get a tree down then that's going to cause cancellations and delays.
"There's the potential for isolated power cuts which will again lead to the risk of some disruption at times.
"If you've got a particular train that you're catching make sure you're looking ahead of time if there have been any cancellations. Just make sure you're driving carefully, there's the potential that high-sided vehicles could get hit by strong gusts of wind which has the potential to cause impacts, so we might see bridges closing as well."
Will we get a white Christmas? Met Office verdict
Met Office Meteorologist Liam Eslick said there may be snow on December 25 on mountains in Scotland but it is "not looking likely that there will be a white Christmas in England".
He added that Christmas Day is expected to be a lot milder than usual, with the average December temperature between 7C and 8C, but the top temperature that could be seen this December 25 is 14C.
The warmest Christmas Day on record was 15.6C in 1920, so there is a "small chance" of it being a record, Mr Eslick added.
Most of the country will be damp on Monday, with heavy rain possible in Wales, though it is expected to brighten up after lunchtime.
A yellow warning for rain is in force covering much of Wales, with forecasters warning that flooding and travel disruption is possible, and will last until 6pm on Christmas Eve.
Between 20mm to 40mm of rain is expected widely and 60mm to 80mm on higher ground.
Google also has a Santa tracking feature
As well as NORAD's tracker, Santa's location on Christmas Eve can also be tracked on Google.
Google launched its own Santa tracker in 2004 and has successfully re-run it each year.
According to the tech giant, Santa is due to make his first stop at 10pm local time in far eastern Russia, which is at 7pm in the UK.
What is Santa's route across the world?
According to NORAD, his route usually starts at the International Dateline in the Pacific West before heading West.
NORAD says: “Historically, Santa visits the South Pacific first, then New Zealand and Australia. After that, he shoots up to Japan, over to Asia, across to Africa, then onto Western Europe, Canada, the United States, Mexico and Central and South America.
“Keep in mind, Santa’s route can be affected by weather, so it’s really unpredictable. NORAD coordinates with Santa’s Elf Launch Staff to confirm his launch time, but from that point on, Santa calls the shots. We just track him!”
Adorable reason why NORAD started tracking Santa
Defence officials at NORAD have been tacking Santa' movements every Christmas Eve for the past 67 years, but the reason why they first started in 1955 is incredibly heartwarming.
It all began when one child trying to call Santa accidentally got through to what was then called the Continental Air Defence Command. The operator on shift at the time assured the youngster they would do their best to find out where St Nick was, and the military unit is now at its 68th year of doing so. A huge team of volunteers work every year to take calls from children across the world wanting to find out where in the sky he is.
Lt General Blaise Frawley told NBC News: "Throughout the years, many different fighter aircraft have intercepted Santa, and we'll normally give them a wing waggle as we peel off after we've intercepted him."
Genius bedtime hack will get your kids to sleep on Christmas Eve
For many parents, Christmas Eve will be the final moment they can rush around and make things perfect for Christmas Day, but your kids will have other plans. By this point, they will be so filled with sugar and bubbling with excitement that the regular night time routine will be the make-and-break point of the entire festive period.
However, a sleep expert has shared advice on how to tackle your child's bedtime routine so Santa - you - can get the last of the decorations up, the food prepped, the presents wrapped and maybe take a few bites of the cookies and sips of the milk before the big day.
Renowned sleep expert Dave Gibson from Vitabiotics shared some practical and strategic tips to help parents make Christmas Eve magical for their children and avoid sleep struggles. The expert said: "The excitement of Santa's impending arrival overstimulates children, making it harder for them to fall asleep.
"Add the broken sleep patterns, early waking to open gifts, and the fear of missing out on the festive fun downstairs, and you have a challenging combination!”
How does NORAD track Santa?
The defence unit uses a number of sophisticated measures to follow Santa's journey, which should be commencing soon.
The organisation uses a radar system called the North Warning System, which is checked closely on December 24 to see when he has departed from the North Pole, as well as satellites and fighter jets which can help pinpoint and track his whereabouts.
According to NORAD, Rudolph's nose is usually easily detected by satellites in space.
Statistics on Santa's sleigh
How many calories does Santa consume in one night?
Let's face it, after visiting an estimated 500million homes over one 24-hour period, Father Christmas is going to head back to the North Pole feeling rather on the portly side.
An estimated 18million households in the UK alone leave out some sort of refreshment for the big man. But how many calories is that totalling? With the average supermarket-brand mince pie and small glass of dry sherry coming in at about 280 in one sitting, that puts Santa's UK stint alone at a whopping 5.04billion calories.
Time for those elves to loosen his belt a little.
When will Santa arrive in the UK?
While NORAD can track him as he makes his way around homes across the world, only the man himself knows his own movements.
However, it's likely Father Christmas will start in New Zealand and Australia where the time is far ahead, and work his way gradually west in time with the time zones as people go to bed. According to NORAD: "In most countries, it seems Santa arrives between 9:00 p.m. and midnight on December 24th. If children are still awake when Santa arrives, he moves on to other houses. He returns later, but only when the children are asleep!"
Reindeers have one-of-a-kind eye colour change to help them see in the dark
Did you know that reindeer have a special trick that helps them get around in the dark?
Scientists from the University of St Andrews and Dartmouth College in the US found that the mammals have excellent night vision that allows them to locate dinner in harsh wintry conditions. This is because their eyes transform in colour as the seasons change, from golden-orange in the summer to rich-blue in the winter.
Find out more about Rudolph and his friends' special abilities here.
Leaving out sherry and mince pies? Watch your wallet
It's no secret Christmas is already a big blow to our bank accounts.
But if leaving Father Christmas a little welcoming tipple is a staple tradition in your household, experts say it may be hitting your wallet even harder this year. With 18million snacks and drinks to be left out for him this year at a cost of £5.2million, the sweet tradition is becoming a major expense.
According to research by Zest, the cost of snacks for Santa has risen by 9.8% since last year due to inflation. Mince pies and whiskey have both risen in price, while the cost of carrots for the reindeers - albeit far more affordable - has also increased.
Why does Santa live in the North Pole?
When you think of Father Christmas, you tend to think of the North Pole But why does he live there?
It's not just because of the cold and isolated spot meaning his workshop is safe from prying eyes. In fact, the reason Father Christmas lives where he does is thanks to political cartoonist Thomas Nast. Find out more here.
People are only just realising why Santa Claus lives in the North pole
It's a well-known fact that Santa Claus lives in the North Pole, but people are only just realising the reason why he lives there - and it's not because he's a big fan of the cold and loves wearing his big red and white fluffy suit.
It's a well-known fact that once a year, Santa will hop on his sleigh, pulled by his magical reindeer, to deliver presents to children across the world. But why is his residence the North Pole? According to NPR, the reason Father Christmas lives where he does is thanks to political cartoonist Thomas Nast.
In his 1800s drawings, there was "an indication that Santa could be reached by mail at the North Pole", and at the time, there was real intrigue around the North Pole as many explorers had tried to reach it. "People were interested in those efforts, in much the way that we are interested today in efforts to reach Mars, for example", historian Fiona Halloran explained.
She said that placing him where Thomas did brought a sense of "adventure" and intrigue to Santa, because you wouldn't just catch him "at the North Pole grocery store."
How many presents does Santa deliver?
Unfortunately, there's no definitive answer for this - but rest assured, it's a lot.
Forbes estimates that 500million households worldwide - about a third of the global population - get presents delivered from Father Christmas each year. The number per household varies of course depending on that family's traditions. And, of course, whether they've unintentionally found themselves on the naughty list that year.
So how does he do it? It all comes down to a bunch of very hardworking elves who work through the year without any days off, a stellar bunch of reindeer with a sleigh that has its MOT up to date and - most importantly - Christmas spirit.
Can you spot the mini Santa?
Only those with perfect vision can supposedly solve this puzzle to find the hidden Santa amongst the Christmas stockings. Have a look yourself to see if you can find Father Ch.ristmas in our fun puzzle.
How old is Santa Claus?
The big man himself has been delivering presents to children all over the world for many years - but what is Santa's actual age?
According to Email Santa, jolly old St Nick is 1,752 years old as of 2023. The origins of Santa can be traced all the way back to a monk named Saint Nicholas, who was born between 260 and 280 A.D.
Santa Claus is said to have been born in what is now modern-day Turkey.
NORAD meaning - and what it is
NORAD has been tracking Santa's movements for the past 60 years as millions of hopeful children around the year go to bed on Christmas Eve.
North American Aerospace Defense Command in full, the service is in charge or tracking what's going on in the continent's airspace to protect it from possible attacks, but uses its tools to charter Father Christmas' movements across the world's skies. Originally named the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD), they began tracking Santa in 1955 before changing their name in 1958. The organisation is based in Colarado Springs in the US.
Mum shares son's hilarious experiment to figure out if Santa is real
Asking your kids to write a letter to Santa is an easy way to find out what they want for Christmas, and keep the magic alive for as long as possible.
But one mum has revealed her son has taken it upon himself to discover if the Big Guy exists by performing an ingenious experiment. Read more on this here.
How to get your kids to bed in time before Father Christmas arrives
We've all been there once. The agonising anticipation all day on Christmas Eve as the day slowly gets darker, the excitement of putting out the mince pies and brandy and the seemingly-impossible feat that is somehow trying to nod off amidst all the overstimulation.
And now the shoe is on the other foot and you've got your own little ones to get to sleep before Santa comes down the chimney. Fear not we've got you covered. Here are some excellent parenting hacks to make sure your children are fast asleep in time.
Welcome
Welcome to our live Santa tracker! We'll be keeping you posted on the whereabouts of St Nick's sleigh in the run-up to Christmas, including all you need to know and interesting trivia about the big man himself.
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2023-12-24 05:35:51Z
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