Can I track Santa live?

Yes. On December 24 every year, NORAD Tracks Santa and Google's Santa Tracker both follow his sleigh in real time. The trackers go live around December 1 with games, then switch to live tracking on Christmas Eve.

What time does Santa start his journey?

Santa traditionally leaves the North Pole at sunset on Christmas Eve and travels westward, following the night around the globe so he can visit homes while children sleep.

How does NORAD track Santa?

NORAD says it uses the same radar, satellites, jet fighter aircraft and a special 'SantaCam' network it uses for North American air defense, repurposed for one festive night a year.

When does Santa arrive at my house?

Most families say Santa visits between bedtime and sunrise on Christmas morning. Going to sleep early is still the most reliable way to help.

Santa tracker

Where Is Santa Right Now?

Snowy village rooftops at night with a glowing red sleigh trail across a starlit sky and a full moon

Quick answer

Right now, Santa is at the North Pole, finishing toys with the elves and checking the list. On Christmas Eve, he leaves at sunset and travels westward through every timezone — and you can follow his sleigh live on NORAD Tracks Santa and Google's Santa Tracker.

Where is Santa today?

Most days of the year, Santa stays at the North Pole workshop. The elves are building toys, the reindeer are training and Santa is reading letters and checking the list. Mrs. Claus, by most accounts, is in charge of the kitchen.

The big move happens on December 24. As soon as the sun sets in the eastern Pacific, Santa hitches up Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph, and starts heading west around the world.

How to track Santa live on Christmas Eve

Two free, family-friendly trackers go live every Christmas Eve:

NORAD Tracks Santa — run by the North American Aerospace Defense Command since 1955. noradsanta.org
Google Santa Tracker — interactive map plus 24 days of games and learning activities. santatracker.google.com

Both sites are free, have no sign-in and work on any phone, tablet or computer. They open earlier in December with games and short videos, then switch to live tracking on December 24.

Best Santa trackers compared: NORAD, Google and the mobile apps

Three free options cover almost everyone. Here is what each one is best at and when it goes live, so you can pick the right one for Christmas Eve.

Tracker	Best for	Goes live	Cost
NORAD Tracks Santa	Classic feel, live phone hotline on Dec 24, multi-language updates from real personnel.	Site opens Dec 1; live tracking starts the morning of Dec 24 (MST).	Free, no sign-in.
Google Santa Tracker	Younger kids who want games, coding puzzles and learning videos during Advent.	Village opens Dec 1 with a new activity daily; live sleigh map on Dec 24.	Free, works in any browser.
NORAD Tracks Santa mobile app	Push notifications when Santa is near your region, kid-friendly home screen icon.	Available year-round on iOS and Android; activates on Christmas Eve.	Free.

Which should you pick? For a family movie-night vibe with the TV on, NORAD looks and sounds the part. For younger kids who want to play during Advent, Google's village is hard to beat. If you want a ping the moment Santa is over your country, install the NORAD app a few days before Christmas Eve so notifications are turned on in time.

Avoid unofficial Santa tracker sites that ask for sign-up, payment or your exact address. The three options above are the only ones we recommend.

When will Santa arrive at your house?

Santa visits while children are asleep, usually between bedtime and sunrise on Christmas morning. He moves with the night, so families in the eastern Pacific see him first and homes further west are visited later.

The best way to help: a glass of milk and a cookie by the tree, a small carrot for the reindeer, and bed at a reasonable hour. He is on a tight schedule.

While you wait, keep an eye on our live Christmas countdown or the more focused Christmas Eve countdown.

Fun things to do while you wait

Open today's Advent calendar idea.
Pick a film with the Christmas movie picker.
Try the Christmas quiz or learn a few Christmas facts.
See how Christmas is celebrated around the world.

Write to Santa for real (verified postal services)

If your child wants to send a real letter to Santa and get a reply, use one of these long-running national postal programmes. They are free and have been answering letters for decades.

United States — USPS Operation Santa lets families post letters and lets the public adopt and answer them.
United Kingdom — Royal Mail's letters to Santa service, with a free address and a guaranteed reply if posted in time.
Canada — Canada Post: Write to Santa, replies in English and French to address H0H 0H0.
Finland — Santa Claus Main Post Office in Rovaniemi, on the Arctic Circle, sends a personal reply from Santa's home town.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Santa right now?: Outside of Christmas Eve, Santa is at the North Pole getting ready: making the list, checking it twice and helping the elves finish toys. On Christmas Eve, Santa starts his journey at sunset in the eastern Pacific and travels westward through every timezone.
Can I track Santa live?: Yes. On December 24 every year, NORAD Tracks Santa and Google's Santa Tracker both follow his sleigh in real time. The trackers go live around December 1 with games, then switch to live tracking on Christmas Eve.
What time does Santa start his journey?: Santa traditionally leaves the North Pole at sunset on Christmas Eve and travels westward, following the night around the globe so he can visit homes while children sleep.
How does NORAD track Santa?: NORAD says it uses the same radar, satellites, jet fighter aircraft and a special 'SantaCam' network it uses for North American air defense, repurposed for one festive night a year.
When does Santa arrive at my house?: Most families say Santa visits between bedtime and sunrise on Christmas morning. Going to sleep early is still the most reliable way to help.