North Pole Tracking Station

Count down the days to Christmas, open a new door each day, and check in on your elf.

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Countdown Calendar

Open today's door

The countdown calendar unlocks its first door on December 1st — come back soon!

Tap an open door to see today's surprise.

Santa Tracker

Follow the sleigh

Santa Tracker

Santa tracking opens on 24 December. Come back on Christmas Eve to follow the sleigh live, right here in the Tracking Station.

NORAD Tracks Santa® is a registered trademark of the North American Aerospace Defense Command. North Pole Pro® is not affiliated with or endorsed by NORAD.

Elf Tracker

Jingle was last spotted at Mrs. Claus' Corner, sneaking a warm cookie.

Inside North Pole Mission Control

Mission Control stories

Mission Control

What Happens Inside Mission Control?

There is one place at the North Pole that gets busier as Christmas gets closer: Mission Control.

Mission Control

The Night Before the Big Flight

December 23 feels different inside North Pole Mission Control. The Christmas Eve flight is less than a day away, and nearly every chair in the Tracking Station is occupied. Maps cover desks.

Mission Control

How Santa's Route Is Planned

Planning Santa’s Christmas Eve route is one of the biggest puzzles at the North Pole. The Navigation Team begins with a world map, but drawing a line from one place to another is only the beginning.

Mission Control

Meet the Tracking Elves

Christmas Eve may have one famous pilot, but behind Santa is an entire room of elves making sure the biggest flight of the year runs smoothly.

Mission Control

The Giant North Pole Map

You cannot miss the map inside Mission Control. It covers almost an entire wall. The Giant North Pole Map shows continents, oceans, countries, major cities, islands and thousands of location markers.

Mission Control

The Christmas Eve Weather Team

While most of the North Pole is thinking about presents on Christmas Eve, one group of elves is thinking about clouds.

Mission Control

How Mission Control Talks to Santa

Santa may travel thousands of miles from the North Pole on Christmas Eve, but Mission Control is never far away.

Mission Control

Reindeer Status: All Green

Before Santa can take off, Mission Control needs one very important report. Reindeer status.

Mission Control

What Happens When Santa Changes Course?

Even the best Christmas Eve plan sometimes needs to change. Maybe a storm grows stronger than expected. Perhaps winds shift.

Mission Control

Why Time Zones Matter on Christmas Eve

Here’s one of the strangest things about Christmas Eve: It can be December 25 in one place while it is still December 24 somewhere else.

Mission Control

Santa's Final Pre-Flight Check

No sleigh leaves the North Pole on Christmas Eve without passing the final pre-flight check.

Mission Control

What Happens After Santa Comes Home?

The busiest night of the year doesn’t end when the final present is delivered. It ends when Santa comes home.