Community Corner

Santa Heads For Walnut Creek

NORAD website tracks Santa's progress around the world.

Hey, it's not rocket science.

Oh, wait a minute, it is.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command is tracking Santa and his sleigh as they head for North America. At 5 p.m. Pacific time, there were a lot of Santa's gift symbols sprinkled over Europe and West Africa.

Find out what's happening in Walnut Creekwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

This year NORAD featured a special guest. First Lady Michelle Obama is at the command answering some phone calls from anxious children.

Walnut Creek Patch called to try to reach Obama but — bah humbug — all operators were busy.

Find out what's happening in Walnut Creekwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

You can follow the NORAD tracking here. The tradition goes back to 1955 when a Sears and Roebuck talk-to-Santa hotline inadvertently sent callers to the wrong line, a missile defense extension. A quick-thinking colonel asked his team to check radar for Santa-and-reindeer blips.


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