Santa's watching, and NORAD watches Santa as he delivers presents.

Per tradition, the North American Aerospace Defense Command and a team of volunteers will track Santa Claus as he makes his Christmas rounds, and giving the public real-time updates on his whereabouts.

The annual public service traces its origins back to 1955, a typo, and good-natured government employees. Per NORAD's official history, a Sears Roebuck & Co. in Colorado printed an advertisement that urged kids to call Santa. Butdue to a typo, instead of publishingputting the department store's phone number, Sears listed the contact for the Continental Air Defense Command, a precursor to NORAD.

The oldest known female World War II vet, Army Lieutenant Colonel Luta C. McGrath (R), who turns 108 later this month, attends Veteran's Day ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, November 11, 2015. AFP PHOTO / SAUL LOEBSAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

Workers received misguided calls from kids asking for Santa. Instead of telling the youngsters to get lost because they were too busy looking for incoming missiles, CONAD played along with the mistake and gave the children updates on Santa's journey. The practice stuck, and over the years grown from just phone calls to social media updates, emails and a website that tracks give updates on Santa's location on a map.

Now NORAD uses a series of techniques to track Santa, including satellites, thermal imagery and Canadian and American fighter jet escorts. Keep tabs on the big man as he makes his way to your house.

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