NORAD is continuing the tradition of tracking Santa on Christmas Eve.
The COVID era, though will affect how the task is carried out.
There will be fewer volunteers this year to track Santa as he makes his way around the world to deliver toys to all the good girls and boys. NORAD says "only a small number of volunteers" will answer calls on Christmas Eve. A recorded update on Santa's location will be available for those who can't reach a volunteer.
The good news is families can still watch the tracker on the NORAD Tracks Santa website, which will go live on Dec. 1, and on social media pages and a new mobile app.
The tradition started in 1955 when a Colorado Springs Sears store printed a newspaper ad that invited kids to call a phone number to talk to Santa. It was the wrong number, and the calls ended up going to the Continental Air Defense Command, NORAD's predecessor.
The smart colonel in charge ordered his officers and his troops to start tracking Santa using our systems and telling the kids where Santa was throughout the night.