NORAD Santa tracker 2024 LIVE: Father Christmas and his reindeers start their journey around the globe
CHRISTMAS Eve is finally here and Santa Claus has officially started his annual journey around the globe – and is heading for the UK.
In a statement provided by the head elf to the Reuters news agency, Santa – as well as his trusted reindeers Rudolph, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen – all safely left Lapland at 9am UK time.
Here at The Sun, we'll be providing updates throughout the day on the provided by NORAD — the North American Aerospace Defense Command — which delivers real-time tracking of Santa's movements.
You can follow our live blog, below, for all Santa's movements...
Santa's route
Father Christmas usually starts at the International Date Line in the Pacific Ocean before heading west.
He visits the South Pacific first, then New Zealand and Australia.
He then shoots up to Japan, over to Asia, across to Africa, then onto Western Europe, Canada, the United States, Mexico and South America.
Norad said Santa's route can be "unpredictable" because of the weather.
In the home stretch
Santa has delivered most of this year's Christmas presents.
It's almost time to find out whether you've been naughty or nice...
What is the Norad Santa tracker?
Formed in 1958, Norad defends and monitors the skies over North America.
The agency has for decades fielded children’s questions about Santa's delivery schedule.
Santa spotted flying over Parliament
Norad has released footage of Father Christmas soaring over Big Ben.
He's also been seen in the skies above Paris, Madrid and Berlin.
Where has Santa been spotted in the UK?
- Southampton
- Cardiff
- London
- Durham
- Carlisle
- Edinburgh
- Belfast
Down to the South Pole
Santa is currently heading from Antarctica to the Falkland Islands.
Crossing continents
Father Christmas has crossed the Atlantic and is now heading from Brazil to the penguin-filled island of South Georgia.
Over land and sea
The reindeer are charting a course off the west coast of Spain from Casablanca in Morocco to the Portuguese capital Lisbon.
Presents delivered so far: 4.4million
Next stop Spain
Santa and his reindeer are on their way from Barcelona to Madrid.
A whopping 4.1million gifts have already been delivered.
Over the Alps
Santa has crossed Germany and is now headed for Zurich in Switzerland.
He is well on his way to delivering 4million gifts.
Santa spotted over Norway
Father Christmas is currently in the skies between the Norwegian cities of Trondheim and Bergen.
He's delivered 3.9million gifts so far - and will next head south to Germany.
Want to track Santa? There’s an app for that …
Families can also download NORAD’s Santa tracker app on both the Apple app store and Google Play store.
Those who are interested in calling NORAD can use the phone number 1-877-HI-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) on December 24 from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Christmas Day ET.
Santa spotted … on a scooter in Germany
There have been numerous pictures (see post at 11.03) of Father Christmas out and about delivering presents to children around the world today – but the latest one, below, is from a solitary Santa on a scooter in Germany.
At the time of writing, however, we have been unable to confirm if this latest sighting is, in fact, the real Santa.
Santa’s little helpers in the North Pole have been approached for comment.
You can follow us here for all the latest updates. If it’s really him below we’ll let you know ASAP.
PS: we don't think it's him; where are all his parcels? And he wouldn't ditch his reindeers, would he?
Welcome to The Sun’s Santa tracker live blog
Santa Claus is finally coming to town and we’re ready to watch his journey live as the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) once again tracks him on his way around the globe.
According to a press release sent by Santa’s head elf to the Reuters news agency, he set off at 9am this morning … so put on Fairytale of New York and prepare for his arrival in the UK with us.
Merry Christmas!
Credit: YOUTUBE 
Credit: YOUTUBE How does Santa manage to cross the world in just one night?
According to NORAD, the “only logical conclusion” as to how Santa is able to traverse the globe in one night is that he “somehow functions within his own time-space continuum”.
“NORAD intelligence reports indicate that Santa does not experience time the way we do. His trip seems to take 24 hours to us, but to Santa, it might last days, weeks, or even months,” the agency stated.
Which countries has Santa visited today so far?
He's been all over the world, including:
- China
- Japan
- Korea
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Russia
- Antartica
What time can we expect Santa Claus in the UK?
NORAD indicate flying conditions are forecast to stay good across the globe (see post at 14.00), so as long as the reindeers are in good form, Santa usually reaches Britain around midnight GMT.
He has made plenty of stops so far, including Oceania, Asia, Eastern Europe and much of Africa.
It's Christmas in Thailand and Cambodia
Santa has just left Bangkok and Phnom Penh and is now on his way to Vietnam having delivered more than 1,750,000,000 gifts to children around the world since he left the North Pole at 9am (GMT) this morning.
Where is Santa now?
He's just left the aptly titled Christmas Island and is heading to Padang in Indonesia.
You can follows us here as he makes his descent to the UK just before midnight, weather permitting.
How many gifts has Santa delivered?
According to data supplied by NORAD, which is tracking his every movement across the globe, Santa has now delivered more than 1,350,000,000 parcels.
China here we come ...
Santa has just left Korea and is now heading for Harbin, in China.
Harbin is the capital of Heilongjiang, China’s northernmost province.
Weather update from NORAD
Current reports from around the globe indicate good conditions for flying, say officials at NORAD.
Why does NORAD track Santa?
The tradition began in 1955, when a child mistakenly rang a Colorado military command asking to speak to Father Christmas after a local newspaper ran an advert by a department store containing a misprinted phone number.
Fortunately, Air Force Commander Harry Shoup who was manning the phones that Christmas Eve quickly realised the mistake and instructed his staff to check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole.
Welcome to The Sun’s Santa tracker live blog
Santa Claus is finally coming to town and we’re ready to watch his journey live as the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) once again tracks him on his way around the globe.
According to a press release sent by Santa's head elf to the Reuters news agency, he set off at 9am this morning ... so put on Fairytale of New York and prepare for his arrival in the UK with us.
Merry Christmas!
Credit: YOUTUBE Credit: YOUTUBE Santa spotted ... on a scooter in Germany
There have been numerous pictures (see post at 11.03) of Father Christmas out and about delivering presents to children around the world today – but the latest one, below, is from a solitary Santa on a scooter in Germany.
At the time of writing, however, we have been unable to confirm if this latest sighting is, in fact, the real Santa.
Santa's little helpers in the North Pole have been approached for comment.
You can follow us here for all the latest updates. If it's really him below we'll let you know ASAP.
