INDCJournal: 50 Years

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December 15, 2004

50 Years

Posted by Bill

Everything you ever wanted to know about NORAD's tradition of tracking Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, but were just too damn lazy to ask:

This is the 50th season that NORAD and its predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) have tracked Santa. The tradition began after a Colorado Springs store's advertisement for children to call Santa on a special "hotline" included a misprinted telephone number. Instead of Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief's operations "hotline." The Director of Operations, Colonel Harry Shoup, received the first "Santa" call on Christmas Eve 1955. Realizing what had happened, Colonel Shoup had his staff check radar data to see if there was any indication of Santa making his way south from the North Pole. Indeed there were signs of Santa and children who called were given an update on Santa's position. Thus, the tradition was born.

No word on Hannukah Harry. Rumor has it, he was shot down over Long Island by a Nike Ajax tactical nuclear SAM in 1961. What a schlimazel. A shandeh for the kinder. Gets me farklempt just thinking about it.

Posted by Bill at December 15, 2004 02:14 PM | TrackBack (1)

Comments

I thought it was "verklempt".

Posted by: Dave at December 15, 2004 04:25 PM

A young neighbor was convinced by NORAD tracking that her friends we're idiots for saying Santa doesn't exist.

And before every home had a computer, my nephew maintained his belief for probably two extra years because my brother woke him up at 2 am to go see the sleigh and reindeer tracks in the back yard.

Posted by: Retread at December 15, 2004 04:53 PM

I thought it was "verklempt".

And I thought there was a Santa Claus until I was 23 years old. I feel your pain.

Posted by: Bill from INDC at December 15, 2004 06:39 PM

Found out when I was about seven or so.

Of all people, it was my younger brother who, being unable to sleep on Xmas Eve, went downstairs and caught my parents setting up all the presents. Can you say "busted"? :)

Posted by: Patrick Chester at December 16, 2004 04:09 PM