Santa's Ride

Track Santa's Christmas journey

by Santa Claus on Dec 24, 2012 at 1:18 AM
Merry Christmas, everyone! I'm Santa Claus.

Tonight, when the clock strikes midnight in your home, I'll be sliding down the chimney. I'm excited for another great journey, and I'll be stopping all around the globe.

My list shows that most of you have been very good this year. The sleigh is chock-full of gifts for children everywhere – from Argentina to Zimbabwe – and our team will be providing updates as we drop them off.

Ho ho ho!

by Santa Claus 12/24/2012 10:00:24 AM
(He just took off, eheh... that was his last post before hopping on the sleigh! Actually, I had to write it for him as he was too clumsy with his big gloves!)

by Mrs. Claus 12/24/2012 10:03:04 AM
I hope Santa remembered to bring his long johns!

by Mrs. Claus 12/24/2012 10:09:24 AM
Why hello there!

I am Quinn, the Correspondent Elf from the sleigh tonight.

My mind is on the clock. I assure that Santa's presents are of top quality. I make sure there is fuel for the reindeer, and I guide the team from chimney to glorious chimney. Through all this, I am also your eyes and ears on the ground and in the air.

My job may be stressful, but it certainly is rewarding. I am thrilled to be here for you... whoops! We're late! Santa! We've got to run!

by Correspondent Elf 12/24/2012 10:11:37 AM
The Command Centre is where the magic happens.

We give the sleigh the information it needs to get around the world safely. We make sure they get the weather updates and air traffic control messages.
Tonight, through this liveblog, we will be providing you with Santa's co-ordinates, keeping you up-to-date on his progress around the world.
Thunderstorm causing delays? Sleigh runner breaks mid-flight? We'll let you know.

by Command Centre 12/24/2012 10:13:39 AM
#Santa's elves just loaded the sleigh! #NORAD Tracks #Santa! http://ow.ly/giJuY

by NORAD Santa via twitter 12/24/2012 10:14:52 AM
Before taking off, Santa went to the barn to check on the reindeer! - and, yes, he also had to pee, eheh!! It is going to be a hectic night for him tonight!

by Command Centre 12/24/2012 10:16:28 AM
Ehi kids, guess where are we headed to? Anywhere nearby your chimney? :)

by Correspondent Elf 12/24/2012 10:18:08 AM
Finally! Santa is gone and now I can take few minutes to myself to breath.... and open few letters I received in these last days! let's begin with this one...... (yes, kids, despite being quite aged, I can handle emails quite awesomely! ahah!)

by Mrs. Claus 12/24/2012 10:20:08 AM
Hello
I love you! I can’t wait for you to come and deliver presents to me.I have bin so good all year and have bin waiting for this one special day to come.I will leave out some milk and cookies oh and carrots for the reindeers.I will be watching you travel the world on my computer tonight night,can’t wait for when you arrive in Canada,drive carefully and see you soon,Hayden!!

by J McK via email edited by Correspondent Elf 12/24/2012 10:20:20 AM
Here at the Command Center we hired an extra-elf to keep an eye on the sky! He will be our weather expert... we just want to make sure our lovely Santa does not get lost into a storm - more likely he will be tempted to stop by a candy store and spend the rest of the night there!

by Jennifer Narramore edited by Santa Claus 12/24/2012 10:26:11 AM
Hi Everyone! This is Sunny Elf, Santa's very own weather forecaster! I will be reporting live from the Santa Command Center in our weather studio! During Santa's entire trip around the world I will be letting you know what kind of weather he is running into. When he left the North Pole it was -33F/-36C!! Brrrrr.........

by Jennifer Narramore 12/24/2012 10:29:20 AM
#Santa is on his way! The #NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center begins taking calls at 4 a.m. Mountain Time! http://ow.ly/giJQg

by NORAD Santa via twitter 12/24/2012 10:31:08 AM
I am so lucky to snag the best elf job there is!

by Correspondent Elf 12/24/2012 10:31:56 AM
From ty and lily and Cohen
Dear Santa are you close to coona barbarian?

We'll be there shortly, don't worry!!

by Principal - St Raphael's South Hurstville via email edited by Correspondent Elf 12/24/2012 10:32:22 AM
For those who don't know... I am going to keep track of my husband through
a) the updates from the Elves
b) the information the Command Center passes me frequently
c) NORAD Santa Tracker.

What is it? It is the oldest (since 1955) and most well known Santa Tracking service offered to the public during December of each year. With this new Twitter thingy, basically it brought the old, dear Santa into the 20th century! And into the 21st century as well!

by Mrs. Claus 12/24/2012 10:36:56 AM
Last Spotted: North Pole - Santa sees some ships - are they U.S. Navy?

by Command Centre 12/24/2012 10:43:00 AM
One of the last shot we took before he left! Good luck, Santa!

by Command Centre 12/24/2012 10:43:43 AM
#NORAD received word #Santa is flying across the North Pole! Where do you think Santa will stop first? http://ow.ly/giLhR

by NORAD Santa via twitter 12/24/2012 10:48:24 AM
Oh dear! Take some extra care my beloved! Remember that all the children in the world rely on you tonight! I am sure you'll make it, once again!
Love you!

Santa will be navigating around some serious storm in Sydney Australia
by Bill Prescott on Dec 24, 2012 at 5:49 AM via email

by Mrs. Claus 12/24/2012 10:50:20 AM
HoHoHo

by Santa Claus 12/24/2012 10:54:00 AM
Whaaaaat? Santa posting himself???? From the sleigh? How did he do that? I think the Correspondent Elf had a hand in this....

by Mrs. Claus 12/24/2012 10:56:00 AM
-- Since my husband does not really know how to use a computer, I had to learn how to liveblog so you kids can follow him all around the world. (don’t tell him, but his fingers are a bit too fat for him to type) ---

by Mrs. Claus 12/24/2012 10:56:40 AM
Hi Santa !!!
Hello!!! This Is Meghan Lohse!! ( Hong Kong, Discovery bay.) How are you?
Do You Happen to know what I want For Christmas?
1.Lots Of American girl stuff
2.Fuzzy socks
3.Gel pens (Smiggle)
4.I don't know
5. For others To have an epicly-awsome Christmas!!! :D

THANK YOU!!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

From Santa: GOTCHA!

by David Lohse via email edited by Santa Claus 12/24/2012 10:57:04 AM
Sunny Elf here! We are just crossing the Chukchi sea and it is a little choppy! Thanks for the heads up on the heavy rain in Sydney! I'll make sure Santa has his umbrella and slicker!!

by Jennifer Narramore 12/24/2012 10:59:48 AM
few glimpses from the sleigh!

by Correspondent Elf via 25.media.tumblr 12/24/2012 11:00:35 AM
#NORAD captured #Santa's takeoff from the North Pole on video http://ow.ly/gkGxB

by NORAD Santa via twitter 12/24/2012 11:02:40 AM
Let me introduce you my great nine companions for this trip:

Dasher
Dancer
Prancer
Vixen
Comet
Cupid
Donner
Blitzen
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

by Santa Claus 12/24/2012 11:04:32 AM
From Wikipedia: Provideniya (Russian: Провиде́ния, lit. of providence) is an urban locality (an urban-type settlement) and the administrative center of Providensky District of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia, located on Komsomolskaya Bay (part of Provideniya Bay) in the northeastern part of the autonomous okrug, across the Bering Strait from Alaska, and very close to the International Date Line. Population: 1,972 (2010 Census preliminary results); 2,723 (2002 Census); 5,432 (1989 Census).

Municipally, Provideniya is subordinated to Providensky Municipal District and is municipally incorporated along with the former Rural Settlements of Novoye Chaplino and Sireniki as Provideniya Urban Settlement.

It is served by Provideniya Bay Airport, the closest Russian airport to the United States. There is a technical school, one functioning cinema, a post office, a museum of Chukotka history and culture, one of the only two ski slopes in Chukotka, a bakery complex and port facilities.

by Command Centre 12/24/2012 11:06:20 AM
Get ready, children of Anadyr!

by Command Centre edited by Mrs. Claus 12/24/2012 11:10:03 AM
With the help of the new technologies, we can also keep my husband monitored through www.google.com

by Mrs. Claus 12/24/2012 11:12:20 AM
First stop for #Santa, Novoye Chaplino, Russia! #NORAD

by NORAD Santa via twitter 12/24/2012 11:12:44 AM
It is a little warmer here in Provideniya compared to the North Pole!!!!

by Jennifer Narramore 12/24/2012 11:14:16 AM
woooooosh!

by Command Centre edited by Mrs. Claus 12/24/2012 11:14:45 AM
Every year me and my dad used to sit up to follow Santa #santatracker #children

by Hollie Mills via twitter 12/24/2012 11:16:12 AM
Headed to Tarawa, Kiribati! Will be there in one minute!

by Command Centre 12/24/2012 11:16:56 AM
Did you know? Christmas in Russia, like in many other Orthodox countries, is celebrated on the 7th of January instead of today? This is due to the 13-day difference between the Gregorian calendar and the older Julian calendar. In order to keep Russian holiday traditions alive during the Soviet Union (when Russia was an atheist state), many moved these traditions to the New Year (‘noviy god’) celebrations.

by Mrs. Claus 12/24/2012 11:17:28 AM
A very popular Soviet cartoon from 1978 based around a fictional village (prostokvashino) where a boy runs away from home to live there with a cat and dog.

by Mrs. Claus 12/24/2012 11:17:50 AM
The Nutcracker made by Soyuzmultfilm with a score by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, a popular ballet put on by countless theatre companies around the world during the holiday season.

by Mrs. Claus 12/24/2012 11:18:41 AM
'S Rozhdestvom, as I heard down here in Russia

by Correspondent Elf 12/24/2012 11:19:52 AM
#NORAD spotted #Santa flying over Tarawa, Kiribati!

by NORAD Santa via twitter 12/24/2012 11:20:08 AM
Weather alert! We are flying into a Tropical Cyclone! Santa will be ok! The reindeer know how to navigate these winds. www.wunderground.com

by Correspondent Elf 12/24/2012 11:23:12 AM
more or less where Santa was... aargh it is so hard to keep track of him! he moves soooo fast!

by Command Centre 12/24/2012 11:25:57 AM
Remember: it’s summer in Australia at Christmas so some people celebrate by camping or surfing! Also, people tend to have BQ or serve cold dishes because of the weather.

by Mrs. Claus 12/24/2012 11:29:20 AM
Sunny Elf here! We are heading toward Gisborne, New Zealand where it is raining pretty good right now. Santa has his wind shield wipers on full swipe!!!

by Jennifer Narramore 12/24/2012 11:31:44 AM