Friday, December 24, 2021

Tracking Santa

DEBORAH CROMBIE: Since I was small, my idea of the perfect Christmas Eve has included stockings hung by the fire, with milk and cookies set out for the big guy in the red suit. As you get older, it only gets better, because YOU get to drink the milk and eat the cookies. (Although of course there were the "putting toys together in the wee hours years," when that glass of milk needed a tot of whiskey to see you through the Chinese instructions.) 

But as a child, oh, the excitement, the anticipation of it all, aided by watching Santa's flight across the globe on NORAD's Santa Tracker, which was kindly brought to you by your local TV station in the commercial breaks.

NORAD (the North American Aerospace Defense Command) has been tracking Santa since 1955, when a misprinted phone number in a Sears ad confused NORAD's number with Santa's workshop. A quick thinking Air Force colonel began offering updates on Santa's progress whenever a child called the number, and a tradition was born.

But since 2012, Google and NORAD have gone head-to-head with competing Santa Trackers, and they don't agree! If Google shows Santa in Thailand, why does NORAD say he's in Russia? Ditto on the number of gifts delivered! How can one site say millions of toys while the other says billions? (That's like government budget numbers... You can't wrap your brain around them.) 

 

Of course there are lots of complicated technological explanations, but it boils down to this: Santa is magic, and can therefore be in two places at once. How else would he deliver all those toys in twenty-four hours?


As for the difference in the number of gifts, I suspect it's because NORAD's radar can track very tiny objects, while Google's location data is not quite as accurate. That's what I'm going with anyway.  

But which tracker to use?

I'm leaning towards NORAD, for sentimental reasons. On the other hand, you can Chromecast the Google Santa Tracker from your phone to your TV, so maybe I'll give that a try. The wonders of modern technology!

Meanwhile, I'm going to curl up in front of that fire (or at least the idea of a fire, since we are unseasonably warm here) with my hot drink, and unless I can twist my husband's arm into watching LOVE ACTUALLY one more time, catch up on some of that Christmas reading I've been promising myself.

How about you, REDs and readers? What's your perfect Christmas Eve?

44 comments:

  1. Oh, for the days of putting out a plate of cookies!

    I’m sticking with NORAD, sentimentally and because they were first, thanks to that kind Air Force officer.

    Perfect Christmas Eve? When we were growing up, the whole extended family got together for a Christmas Eve party. Most of them are gone now but those parties are a wonderful childhood memory.
    For us, Christmas Eve is always the Christmas Eve candlelight service and lots of carols . . . .

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    1. That sounds wonderful, Joan. I will be listening to carols as I wrap...

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  2. I prefer NORAD too. As adult, on Christmas Eve I make calls to those far away to say hello. Then watch either Miracle on 34th Street or the March of the Wooden Soldiers.

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    1. What a nice tradition, Dru. I hope to talk to some far away family this weekend as well.

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  3. Hmmm, I don't remember being able to watch Santa's progress on TV during Christmas Eve in Toronto. But, if I had my choice now, it would be NORAD, too.

    And ever since visiting Iceland in 2015 and 2017, I have embraced the Jólabókaflóðið, or Christmas Book Flood. I have bought over 40 books in December and have another 25 books checked out from the Ottawa library in my short-stack TBR pile. So, I am ready to spend Christmas Eve night on my comfy couch reading some of my new books and drinking hot chocolate.

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    1. The Christmas Book Flood (we know Rhys can pronounce it!) sounds like heaven to me!

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    2. To me, it seems a very good way of enjoying Christmas Eve, Grace.

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    3. DEBS AND DANIELLE: Thanks. I finally got my prescription reading glasses on December 10 (yay!). I have not had a day since then to just sit down, relax and read for a few hours, so tonight's the night for sure.

      Merry Christmas to all!

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  4. Since we've been together, most years, Irwin and I have gone to a movie then out for Chinese food. This tradition began because Chinese restaurants were the only ones open on Christmas Eve. There are more choices now, but we won't be going out to the movies and we'll probably order take-out tonight.

    Wishing you all a very happy Christmas! Celebrate in good health.

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    1. Same to you, Judy! We hope our Chinese and Thai restaurants will be open, as it's our normal takeout night and I don't want to cook!

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  5. We usually get together with our close friends who are like family, but that isn't happening this year, sniff, and no sons will be home. Instead, Hugh and I will make a delicious beef bourguignon and then I'll sip eggnog and nibble on cookies while reading Victoria Thompson's latest Counterfeit Lady mystery.

    A cozy and delicious Christmas to all!

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    1. Also, I would definitely stick with NORAD.

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    2. That sounds fabulous, Edith. I just saved Tony Bourdain's beef Bourguignon recipe which was in the Washington Post the other day. I'll try that when it's not so warm out. And you reminded me that I forgot to buy eggnog.

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  6. No special Christmas Eve traditions here. Years ago, I would just quietly enjoy the Christmas tree after the little ones has gone to bed. Now with no little ones here and no tree either I will just enjoy my quiet evening!

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  7. We'll skip the children's Christmas Eve service this year and enjoy beef bourguignon and buche de noel before a movie. We've watched NORAD Santa since our first years of dial-up. Cooking to Kings' College Lessons and Carols on the radio at 10am this morning.

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    1. Same dinner here, minus the Buche. Kings College choir is the best!

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    2. Did you make the buche, Margaret? We used to get a buche from the French bakery here but haven't done that in while.

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  8. It is 9:25 in Nova Scotia as I am reading this and watching the national news. They are reporting that Santa has left the North Pole, and is cleared for entering Canada. More reports to come...

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  9. Debs, if you wish to curl up in front of a fire, I could share part of the cold up here as it is -18 C ( -0.4 F ) this morning.

    It is the first I hear about tracking Santa. You have so many traditions that I learned of only as an adult while reading or watching films : milk and cookies for Santa, stockings hung by the fire, etc.

    On Christmas Eve , I like to watch The Holiday and to read Christmas stories like The Christmas Bookshop that I downloaded this week and others.

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    1. Danielle, I save The Holiday for New Year's Eve. On Christmas Eve I like to watch Love Actually. I may end up with Did Hard:-)

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  10. Christmas Eve was always the best--Christmas prep was done, the tree up and lit, and we might pull out board games and nibble on goodies as we played. I carried on this tradition with my youngest nephews if they were with me on Christmas Eve. I concede that I'm the world's worst Monopoly player, but could occasionally win at Parcheesi. However, I am the undisputed Boggle champion! Wishing you all a quiet interlude with a good book, a fire (at least in spirit), and something deliscious to drink and nibble on! P.S. Team NORAD all the way!!

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    1. That sounds perfect, Flora. And it's looks like we are definitely team NORAD here!

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  11. What I really love on Christmas Eve is when CBC radio news follows Santa's journey around the world and reports on his progress as a news item. This suspension of disbelief and embrace of the season's spirit of love and good cheer by Canada's public broadcaster truly warms my heart. Happy Christmas Eve, everyone!

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    1. We all need that bit of wonder, don't we? Happy Christmas Eve to you, Amanda!

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  12. It was such a treat to see so many of you – – including Debs! – – At first chapter fun yesterday – – that was fantastic. Hope you enjoyed it. As a result, I am going to try to convince Jonathan to watch The Man Who Invented Christmas, and not quite sure yet what’s for dinner. I guess I should know :-) it’s snowing a tiny bit here, and that always makes me think of chili.
    Merry Christmas Eve, everyone !

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    1. Hank, you and Hannah were a delight!! And your readings were perfect! Now I'm going to try to convince Rick to watch The Man Who Invented Christmas!

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  13. I had a fun Christmas Eve treat this morning. On Monday, Babette recommended Christmas at the New Yorker, which sounded like a Christmas book to keep. (Especially as I seem to be a little short on American Christmas stories.) I ordered a used copy and it arrived this morning! And in absolutely perfect-as-new condition. So a big shout out to Thrift Books!

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  14. The tradition is to help decorate our 148-year-old redwood church in the morning and then return for the final service of the night and turning off the lights during the singing of Silent Night.

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    1. I forgot - I were to watch as particular tracking system, it would be NORAD. Stepdad was career Air Force.

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  15. I don't know if it is perfect, but for my Christmas Eve I'll just be at home. I may listen to the first three Trans-Siberian Orchestra Christmas albums, or watch Die Hard and see if once again Bruce Willis can stop those Eurotrash terrorists who take over the Nakatomi building.

    Or I may finally sit my butt down and watch one of the NEW movies I've been wanting to see. And at some point, willing or not, I'll fall asleep and wake up later realizing, "Oh crap, I fell asleep and now I have to figure out where I was when I nodded off."

    As for tracking Santa, not my thing.

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    1. Oh, and I hope to finish the advance copy of the new C.J. Box thriller SHADOWS REEL that comes out in March!

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  16. As a child, Christmas Eve was all about Midnight Mass, which for me meant a chance to sing without anyone caring about the pesky "carry a tune" thing. "Ang we have Heard on High" was my favourite while I have an enduring dislike of "Silent Night" probably because we were always outside when it was sung. We lived 7500 ft above sea level in the high mountain desert. Outside, at midnight, in mid-December, usually with glorious stars but a temperature around -20F, singing. I can't hear that song without shivering. There is still wonder in a clear high-altitude deep winter night sky.

    Oh, NORAD. It was in the next mountain over, so it feels like a neighbour.

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    1. Angels. Angles We Have Heard on High. And I can't even blame auto-correct.

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  17. The stages of Christmas from child to aging adult, and they're all good. The magic of a childhood Christmas is hard to beat, but with age comes lovely surprises and traditions, too. I do remember getting up as a child and that anticipatory walk to the living room and Santa's gifts under the tree. So exciting! I also remember the first Christmas I realized it was no longer about me, when I was twelve and my older sister had a baby to coo over. And, as the children from my sisters and brother started arriving, a bigger Christmas came with them. Exchanging gifts on Christmas Eve with family became quite the event. I loved it!

    When I got married at 22, Christmas Eve got quieter, as we usually spent it with my husband's parents, and sometimes his sister. But, we did manage some Christmases with my family, which involved a packed to the gills car. One Christmas, I rode in the passenger seat holding a cake and our dog. Our daughter had her first Christmas Eve at my parents with all my family.

    Then, the fun really started on Christmas Eve, after we had our daughter and son. I'd stay up very late on Christmas Eve getting the kids' gifts under the tree and their stockings fixed. And, of course, I had to eat the fudge we'd made and set out for Santa. Seeing the excitement of my children on Christmas morning was such a joy.

    Now, the children are grown, and husband and I spend a quiet Christmas Eve again. We sometimes go to Christmas Eve service, but not last year and not this. I cook a couple of dishes in the morning, and we'll enjoy Christmas day having a lovely lunch at my daughter's house and watching granddaughter Izzy open her gifts from us.

    I usually look in on the NORAD at some point to see where Santa is, too.

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  18. I've been watching both Santa Trackers this morning, and it's definitely NORAD for me! I love seeing the earth turn beneath his sleigh.

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  19. I vote for NORAD! I intend to spend Christmas Eve curled up on the couch either reading or watching a ghost story on Brit Box. Hopefully most of the "vital" chores will be done and tomorrow won't be a crunch when company comes.

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  20. Growing up, Christmas meant the actual day, so Christmas Eve was for the big meal and Christmas music on the radio, if any could be found. The tree was up and decorated, but there were no gifts under it, except possibly a jar of something from a neighbor. My uncle, who had a marvelous deep resonate voice, would read the Christmas Story from the Bible, then it was off to bed for the little one (me), while my older brother and cousins stayed up later and got to have eggnog (no booze). Only after they went to bed would the adults bring out the wrapped gifts and put them under the tree, fill the stockings, etc. So when we got up Christmas morning it was all there, but not to be touched! Stockings only were opened before breakfast was finished (and dishes washed and dried and put away!). Then, the adults with their coffee or tea would gather around the tree and, one gift at a time the presents were opened and exclaimed over. It took the rest of the morning, and then…it was over. We wandered off to read, play with new toys, take a walk, whatever.

    Perfect Christmas Eve now? Peaceful, pretty with candles and the lit tree. Christmas dinner, followed by eggnog and a movie.

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  21. Forgot to say, dinner tonight is prime rib, baked potatoes, asparagus, cheesecake. We’re not Santa progress watchers, never have. I’ll know he’s been here when I wake in the morning to coffee and waffles.

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  22. Just had a lovely, imperfect Christmas Eve -- church decided to go to ZOOM so I organized my little darlings to do the pageant virtually and THEY DID IT!! It was wonderful. Then a cold super at one daughter's whose three daughters put on a wonderful variety show!! One daughter tested before leaving DC, and was positive, so she is home alone. One daughter, husband, and two littles are here from Brooklyn (they tested last night). 4th daughter coming tomorrow with husband and two teens -- if they pass their tests in the morning.
    And I listened to NORAD on the radio. Yeah, old. And we have snow. And it's Christmas.

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