Santa has started a journey around the world

Santa and his reindeer have started their journey around the world and will be stopping in many places in the next 24 hours.

Each year, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) provides real-time tracking of Santa's sleigh as he travels around the planet.

This tradition has continued since 1955, when an error in a store advertisement led a child to call the military command center asking to speak to Santa.

Air Force Col. Harry Shoup, who answered the call that night, decided to have a little fun and stepped into the role of Santa.

After that, more calls came in, so he assigned an employee to take all the calls, and so began a holiday tradition that NORAD continued after its founding in 1958.

For decades, NORAD has set aside its normal aerospace duties to answer children's questions about Santa's travels and gift-giving mission.

Each year, at least 100 children call NORAD to inquire about Santa's whereabouts, and millions follow his journey along the Earth's meridians via the Internet. /Telegraph/