Due to the massive winter storm in the United States this year, more children than ever before were worried about Santa’s well-being. Tens of thousands of children called US airspace command NORAD to inquire about Santa’s whereabouts and whether their presents would still arrive on time.
According to the latest data, there were around 66,000 phone calls on Christmas Eve alone. There were “only” about 45,000 at the same time last year. Over the entire Christmas weekend, around 150,000 children make frequent calls.
It is traditional in the United States for the airspace watchdog to monitor Santa’s path at Christmas. That tradition started in 1955, when a little boy accidentally contacted Santa Claus for the first time. Later that day, more phone calls quickly followed, after which a soldier was ordered to reassure all the children.
This year, around 1,500 volunteers were ready to talk to the children. Kids could also track Santa’s whereabouts via an app.
General David Nahom is sure the winter storm is no match for Santa Claus. “He feels at home with temperatures around -45”.
The extreme cold is causing numerous problems in the United States. Several dozen people have been killed so far. Many people were unable to celebrate Christmas with their families as tens of thousands of flights were cancelled. Additionally, more than 1.5 million people were without electricity at the height of the storm.
