Track Santa’s Journey With Google’s 2024 Santa Tracker

It’s Christmas Eve, excitement fills the air as children around the world eagerly await the arrival of Santa Claus.

The wait is over and the inevitable questions begin:

“Where’s Santa Claus?”

“Do you think he’s already in our neighborhood?”

This year, NORAD’s Original Santa Tracker will help you track Santa’s whereabouts as he begins his night shift at the International Date Line in the Pacific Ocean and heads for New Zealand and Australia.

Google is also continuing its tradition with an interactive website and mobile app so users can follow old St. Nick’s journey as he delivers gifts around the world until he ends up in South America.

NORAD Santa Tracker: A Holiday Tradition

For more than 65 years, the NORAD Santa Tracker has been helping families track Santa’s whereabouts.

NORAD’s search for Santa began in 1955 when a misprinted phone number in a Sears ad directed children to call NORAD’s predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD), instead of Santa.

Col. Harry Shoup, director of operations, instructed his staff to inform every child he calls of Santa’s location.

NORAD continues the tradition to this day.

How to track Santa with NORAD

1. Visit Santa’s NORAD Tracker website.
2. On Christmas Eve, the live map will show Santa’s current location and next stop.
3. For a more traditional experience, call the NORAD Tracks Santa Hotline at 1-877-HI-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) to speak with a volunteer who will give you Santa’s current location.
4. Follow NORAD’s social media channels for regular daily updates.

This year, NORAD added an AI chatbot called Radar to help you get the latest updates.

The evolution of Google Follows Santa Claus

Since its launch in 2004, Google’s Santa Lander has changed and improved. The team uses this project to test new technologies and update designs. Some of these new features, such as “View in 3D”, are later added to other Google products and services.

What’s in Google’s 2024 Santa Tracker Program

This year’s collection includes games such as Elf Ski and Penguin Dash, alongside creative activities such as Santa’s Canvas and the coding-focused Code Lab.

Young learners can explore global cultures through a translation activity, while classic favorites like Present Bounce and Snowball Storm provide pure holiday fun.

The centerpiece remains the actual Santa tracking feature, which uses a playful mapping interface to “follow” Santa around the world.

Along with arrival and destination information, it creates an engaging way for families to build anticipation for Christmas Eve.

How to use Google’s search engine for Santa Claus

1. Visit Santa’s Google Tracker website or download the mobile app for Android devices.
2. On Christmas Eve, the live map will show Santa’s current location, the number of gifts delivered and the estimated time of arrival at your location.
3. Explore the map to learn more about the more than 500 locations Santa visits, with photos and information provided by Google Local Guides.

Additional features and activities

In addition to the games, the platform features detailed animated environments ranging from cozy kitchens where elves prepare holiday treats to snowy outdoor scenes filled with winter activities.

The experience is wrapped in Google’s signature bright, cheerful art style, with colorful illustrations that bring North Pole activities to life.

For parents looking for both entertainment and educational value during the holiday season, the Google Santa Tracker offers a free, affordable way to channel children’s excitement into engaging activities.

Whether practicing basic coding concepts or learning holiday traditions from around the world, kids can explore as they count down to Christmas.

Everyone, good night

While you wait for Santa this Christmas Eve, you can choose Google’s interactive features or enjoy the nostalgic feeling of NORAD’s tradition.

Happy holidays from all of us at Search Engine Journal!

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Featured Image: alphaspirit.it/Shutterstock