How to track Santa from your Mac, iPhone or iPad

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How to track Santa from your iPhone or iPad
Tracking Santa as he flies across the world delivering toys is easy.
Photo: Cult of Mac

It’s Christmas Eve, and Santa Claus is on his way. You can find out exactly where he is with the help of NORAD and your Mac or iPhone. You can even track Jolly Old Saint Nick’s progress in real time.

Here’s how to keep an eye on Santa’s progress.

How to find NORAD Tracks Santa

The North American Aerospace Defense Command has been keeping tabs on Santa for 65 years. NORAD tracks man-made objects over the North Pole, so it’s perfect to keep a close eye on a sleigh and eight tiny reindeer.

There are two options for following St. Nicholas’ progress. There’s the NORAD Tracks Santa website (noradsanta.org). Or, iPhone and iPad users can download the NORAD Tracks Santa app from the App Store.

Download on the App Store

Both offer moving maps showing the exact location of Rudolph and friends. And there are videos from Santa Cams with recorded footage of Santa at that location.

The NORAD tracker also maintains an X (formerly Twitter) account with frequent updates on St. Nick’s progress as he flies across the world delivering toys.

Siri gets in on finding Father Christmas, too. Ask her the location of Santa Claus and she has a collection of  fun replies.

As you wait for Father Christmas to show, you can take in Hannah Waddinghams’s Apple TV+ holiday special. And don’t forget the classic Peanuts Christmas special.

Kris Kringle is working his way across Africa as we publish this, so you’d better jump in bed and cover your head because Santa Claus is coming tonight.

This article was first published December 24, 2020, and gets updated annually.

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