For generations, Santa Claus has maintained a flawless record of stealth. He has delivered presents across continents without being spotted, slipped through chimneys undetected and vanished long before anyone could confirm his presence. But this Christmas, the myth briefly collided with modern surveillance – and the world watched in real time. 

On December 23, aviation enthusiasts noticed an unusual blip soaring to nearly 60,000 feet on Flightradar24. The call sign read R3DN053, the aircraft type was labelled SLEI (Sleigh) and its registration displayed a cheeky HOHOHO. The route? XMS to XMS – North Pole to North Pole.

Within minutes, Santa’s sleigh became the most followed flight on the planet, drawing thousands of live trackers and sending social media into a festive frenzy.

In a world where takeaway deliveries can be tracked to the doorstep, Santa’s legendary journey officially – and unexpectedly – entered the digital age.

Santa enters the flight path

Flightradar24’s seasonal update cheekily suggested Santa was fully prepared for the busiest night of the year: “Flight plan filed? Tick. Engines fuelled (reindeers fed)? Tick. Children’s behaviour status checked? Absolutely.”

Air traffic controllers at the NUUK FIR even played along, “confirming” radar contact as Santa performed slow-flight checks over the North Pole. The live map showed his red sleigh icon drifting over Northern Europe, far above commercial jets cruising below.

Image data showed the sleigh ranked number one globally, tracked by over 16,000 people, flying with zero vertical speed and a steady course.

From Lapland to the world

Santa’s plotted path towards Rovaniemi, Finland, aligned with modern holiday lore. Today, the Arctic Circle city is widely known as the “official” departure point, hosting an annual Grand Departure Celebration on December 23.

Contemporary folklore places Santa’s global journey at 00:00 UTC on December 23, though the roots of Christmas trace back far further.

The festival, first recorded around 336 AD in Rome, emerged from Christian tradition while absorbing elements of winter solstice rituals, Roman Saturnalia festivities and pagan Yule customs. Evergreen decorations, seasonal feasts and midwinter gatherings shaped what would eventually become Christmas as it spread across Europe during the Middle Ages.

Santa Claus himself evolved from centuries of folklore, shaped by Saint Nicholas and later by literature, advertising and pop culture.

Tracking Santa: The digital era begins

One of the most anticipated traditions each December is following Santa’s path around the world. With technology now deeply embedded in holiday rituals, millions used Flightradar24 to track his progress in real time.

Flight Radar 24, best known for monitoring aircraft worldwide, becomes a festive favourite each year. More than 50,000 users log in annually to follow Santa’s coded sleigh – R3DN053, SLEI or simply HOHOHO.

To find him, users only need to search “SANTA1,” “HOHOHO,” or R3DN053”, and his position appears live on the map.

NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, also maintains a long-running tracking tradition. It began in 1955 after a department store misprint connected a child directly to the military command centre. Air Force Colonel Harry Shoup answered by pretending to be Santa, launching what has become a beloved global custom.

NORAD still offers updates via its website, mobile app and hotline 1-877-HI-NORAD, with volunteers handling thousands of calls.

Google also participates through its Santa Tracker platform, offering games and a live map for families.

Each year, over 100,000 children call NORAD, while millions more track Santa online in nine languages.

Global route

Santa’s journey traditionally begins at the International Date Line, moving west through the South Pacific, New Zealand, Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe and eventually the Americas. But NORAD adds a caveat: the exact route may change depending on weather.

For 70 years, the military command – originally created for early-warning aerospace defence – has turned its surveillance tools toward Santa every December. In 2024 alone, 380,000 calls reached NORAD’s hangar, decorated specially for the occasion. Over 1,000 volunteers staffed the hotline this year, answering questions from children around the world.

Some callers panic when told Santa won’t arrive unless they’re asleep; others simply want reassurance he’ll find their home.

For the first time, people outside North America could also dial in via the programme’s website – a milestone moment for the globe-spanning tradition.

What’s behind the magic

The Santa Tracker has always had a whimsical connection to military messaging. During World War II, Allied headquarters issued playful “Christmas guidance” to reporters, announcing that “a new North Pole Command has been formed” and that “Santa Claus is directing operations.”

Censors insisted that any reference to Santa’s technology remain vague, described only as “secret devices” or “special scientific techniques.”

Modern Santa trackers follow in this tradition. Although Flightradar24’s interface mimics real aircraft data, the sleigh icon is a holiday overlay – a festive simulation layered onto the platform for entertainment.

Similarly, NORAD’s tracker blends storytelling with high-tech imagery, presenting radar sweeps, satellite visuals and pretend jet escorts.