In early December 1955, the phone rang at an air base in Colorado Springs. The officers on the watch floor of the Continental Air Defense Command (CON

Santa Tracker: The slip-up that started a 70-year-old festive tradition

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2024-12-24 13:00:36

In early December 1955, the phone rang at an air base in Colorado Springs. The officers on the watch floor of the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) - who were defending the skies above the US and Canada - stiffened.

The command's director of operations Colonel Harry Shoup answered the call. On the other end was a child's voice asking: "Is this Santa Claus?"

According to the colonel’s daughter Terri Van Keuren, now 75, her father initially thought it was a prank, and replied: "I'm the commander of the Combat Alert Center. Who's this?"

This surprise call started the nearly 70-year tradition of the Santa Tracker, which allows children around the world to track the whereabouts of Father Christmas via a livestream and a phone line answered by volunteers.

The American department store Sears had printed an advert in a local newspaper telling children they could call Santa, Terri explains.