NORAD Tracks Santa Videos

Santa Cam and Related Videos for NORAD Tracks Santa
The NORAD Tracks Santa website Videos webpage is updated, generally each hour, to show a Santa Cam video of a CGI-rendered Santa flying over major cities in the different time zones where it is midnight. The videos feature a voiceover, that is typically done by NORAD staff, explaining Santa's location with facts about Santa and the country and city which Santa has just visited.

Celebrity voiceovers have also been done over the years. For the London Santa Cam video, British celebrity and television presenter Jonathan Ross did the voiceover for 2005 thru 2007 and the former Beatle star Ringo Starr was an honorary Santa Tracker and voiceover for London in 2003 and 2004. Paul Harvey was also an honorary Santa Tracker and did the voiceover for the St. Louis, Missouri Santa Cam in 2003. In 2002, Aaron Carter was an honorary Santa Tracker and provided voice updates about Santa's whereabouts as he helped NORAD track Santa's progress on Christmas Eve in 2002. The Santa Cam locations announced by Aaron Carter for the 2002 NORAD Tracks Santa season were: 1) Auckland, New Zealand, 2) Athens,Greece, and 3) Colorado Springs.

The locations of some of the Santa Cam videos have changed over the years. From 2009 onward, 28 Santa Cam videos were posted at the NORAD Tracks Santa website's Videos webpage. In other years, generally 24 to 25 Santa Cam videos were posted at the NORAD Tracks Santa website's Videos webpage.

Under each year is a table of locations of the Santa Cam videos posted for that year at the NORAD Tracks Santa website's Videos webpage with links to the Santa Cam video clips (where available). Then each year has a comment on which Santa Cam video locations changed (additions, updates, and deletions) from the prior year.

In December 2010 and 2011, prior to Christmas Eve, the Videos webpage featured the NORAD Tracks Santa Trailer and a link to the Holiday Videos webpage that has invited student videos from around the world. See article Holiday Videos from Around the World for more information.

Consolidated Santa Journey from 1999 to Present


See article NORAD Tracks Santa Consolidated Videos – 1999 to Present - Full Video Clips to see video clips as part of the NORAD Tracks Santa - Consolidated Santa Journey from 1999 to Present - Santa Cam Videos table.

2011


56th Anniversary of NORAD Tracks Santa

See article NORAD Tracks Santa Videos - 2011 - Full Video Clips to see video clips as part of the 2011 NORAD Tracks Santa - Santa Cam Videos table.

The NORAD Tracks Santa program continues to make Santa tracking an enjoyable experience by varying the route again in 2011 with 28 posted Santa Cam videos. NORAD and Google are determined to avoid repeating the impact from AOL 2005 - 2006 "Era of Stagnation" which caused most (85 % plus) of the NORAD Tracks Santa website videos to feature the same Santa Cam locations.

New first-time Santa Cam videos for 2011 were: 1) Melbourne, Australia, 2) Sendai, Japan, 3) Jakarta, Indonesia, 4) Amsterdam, Netherlands, 5) Brussels, Belgium, 6) Dublin, Ireland, 7) Amazon Rainforest, Brazil, 8) Santiago, Chile, 9) Atlanta, Georgia, 10) Portland, Maine, 11) Montreal in Quebec, Canada, 12) Guadalajara, Mexico, and 13) Boulder, Colorado.

Santa Cam videos back in 2011 after an absence were: 1) Moscow, Russia (last seen in 2009), 2) Egyptian Pyramids of Giza near Cairo, Egypt (last seen in 2009), 3) Rome, Italy (last seen in 2009), and 4) San Francisco, California (last seen in 2002).

The Santa Cam video for Melbourne, Australia replaced the 2010 Santa Cam video for Sydney, Australia.

The Santa Cam video for Sendai, Japan replaced the 2010 Santa Cam video for Mount Fuji in Japan.

The Santa Cam video for Jakarta, Indonesia replaced the 2010 Santa Cam video for Perth, Australia.

The Santa Cam video for Moscow, Russia replaced the 2010 Santa Cam video for Athens, Greece.

The Santa Cam video for the Egyptian Pyramids of Giza near Cairo, Egypt replaced the 2010 Santa Cam video for International Space Station (ISS).

The Santa Cam video for Rome, Italy replaced the 2010 Santa Cam video for Florence, Italy.

The Santa Cam video for Amsterdam, Netherlands replaced the 2010 Santa Cam video for Berlin, Germany.

The Santa Cam video for Brussels, Belgium replaced the 2010 Santa Cam video for Johanesburg, South Africa.

The Santa Cam video for Dublin, Ireland replaced the 2010 Santa Cam video for Bracelona, Spain.

The Santa Cam video for Amazon Rainforest, Brazil replaced the 2010 Santa Cam video for Machu Picchu in Peru

The Santa Cam video for Santiago, Chile replaced the 2010 Santa Cam video for Reindeer Lake in Canada.

The Santa Cam video for Atlanta, Georgia replaced the 2010 Santa Cam video for the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The Santa Cam video for Portland, Maine replaced the 2010 Santa Cam video for Chicago, Illinois.

The Santa Cam video for Quebec, Canada replaced the 2010 Santa Cam video for Toronto in Ontario, Canada.

The Santa Cam video for Guadalajara, Mexico replaced the 2010 Santa Cam video for Mexico City, Mexico.

The Santa Cam video for Boulder, Colorado replaced the 2010 Santa Cam video forDenver, Colorado.

The Santa Cam video for San Francisco, California replaced the 2010 Santa Cam video for Seattle, Washington.

2010


55th Anniversary of NORAD Tracks Santa

See article NORAD Tracks Santa Videos - 2010 - Full Video Clips to see video clips as part of the 2010 NORAD Tracks Santa - Santa Cam Videos table.

The NORAD Tracks Santa program continues to make Santa tracking an enjoyable experience by varying the route again in 2010 with 28 posted Santa Cam videos and seven (7) route changes. New Santa Cam videos for 2010 were for: 1) Athens, Greece, 2) Johanesburg, South Africa, 3) Florence, Italy, 4) Berlin, Germany, 5) Bracelona, Spain, 6) Chicago in Illinois, and 7) Denver, Colorado.

The Santa Cam video for Athens, Greece replaced the 2009 Santa Cam video for Moscow, Russia.

The Santa Cam video for Johanesburg, South Africa replaced the 2009 Santa Cam video for the Egyptian Pyramids of Giza near Cairo, Egypt.

The Santa Cam video for Florence, Italy replaced the 2009 Santa Cam video for Rome, Italy.

The Santa Cam video for Berlin, Germany replaced the 2009 Santa Cam video for Zurich, Switzerland.

The Santa Cam video for Bracelona, Spain replaced the 2009 Santa Cam video for Lajes do Pico in the Azores.

The Santa Cam video for Chicago, Illinois replaced the 2009 Santa Cam video for St. Louis, Missouri.

The Santa Cam video for Denver, Colorado replaced the 2009 Santa Cam video for Colorado Springs, Colorado.

2009
See article NORAD Tracks Santa Videos - 2008 to 2009 - Full Video Clips to see video clips as part of the 2009 NORAD Tracks Santa - Santa Cam Videos table.

A record 28 Santa Cam videos were posted for 2009. New Santa Cam videos for 2009 were for: 1) North Pacific Ocean, 2) Perth, Australia, 3) Zurich, Switzerland, 4) Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and 5) Mexico City, Mexico. The Santa Cam video for Zurich, Switzerland replaced the 2008 Santa Cam video for Neuschwanstein, Germany by Neuschwanstein Castle.

2008


50th Anniversary of NORAD's involvement (from NORAD's founding on May 12, 1958) in supporting the NORAD Tracks Santa Program

See article NORAD Tracks Santa Videos - 2008 to 2009 - Full Video Clips to see video clips as part of the 2008 NORAD Tracks Santa - Santa Cam Videos table.

The 2007 Santa Cam video for Baghdad, Iraq was not used in 2008.

2007


See article NORAD Tracks Santa Videos - 2006 to 2007 - Full Video Clips to see video clips as part of the 2007 NORAD Tracks Santa - Santa Cam Videos table.

Unique for 2007 was a Santa Cam video for Baghdad, Iraq.

2006


See article NORAD Tracks Santa Videos - 2006 to 2007 - Full Video Clips to see video clips as part of the 2006 NORAD Tracks Santa - Santa Cam Videos table.

Many of the videos posted on the 2006 and 2007 NORAD Tracks Santa websites were the same ones (both in terms of visuals and voiceovers) as the ones posted on the NORAD Tracks Santa 2005 website. Previous years have used many of the same visuals, but different voiceovers.

In 2006, the Santa Cam video for Machu Picchu in Peru replaced the 2005 Santa Cam video for Newfoundland, Canada. Also, in 2006, the International Space Station and the Egyptian Pyramids now have separate Santa Cam videos for the first time, and the 2005 Santa Cam video for the Persian Gulf was dropped.

2005


50th Anniversary of NORAD Tracks Santa

See article NORAD Tracks Santa Videos - 2004 to 2005 - Full Video Clips to see video clips as part of the 2005 NORAD Tracks Santa - Santa Cam Videos table.

New Santa Cam videos for 2005 were for: 1) Neuschwanstein, Germany by Neuschwanstein Castle which replaced the Santa Cam video for Athens,Greece, and 2) Cape Canaveral and Miami Beach in Florida, which replaced the Santa Cam video for New Brunswick and Eastern Canada.

The 2005 NORAD Tracks Santa "Systems Are Go" video clips were part of a test conducted on November 27, 2005 which tracked Santa Claus (Mr. Kringle) from the North Pole to Hollywood, California for the annual Hollywood Christmas Parade.

2004
50th Season of NORAD Tracks Santa



See article NORAD Tracks Santa Videos - 2004 to 2005 - Full Video Clips to see video clips as part of the 2004 NORAD Tracks Santa - Santa Cam Videos table.

In 2004, 1) the Santa Cam video for New York City (last seen when NORAD Tracked Santa in December 2001) replaced the Santa Cam video for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and 2) the Santa Cam video for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil replaced the 2003 Santa Cam video for Machu Picchu in Peru. The Santa Cam video from 2003 for Washington, DC was dropped without a replacement.

2003


See article NORAD Tracks Santa Videos - 2002 to 2003 - Full Video Clips to see video clips as part of the 2003 NORAD Tracks Santa - Santa Cam Videos table.

The new Santa Cam video for 2003 was for London which replaced the Santa Cam video for Stonehenge, England. In 2003, the Santa Cam video for Machu Picchu in Peru replaced the 2002 Santa Cam video for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and 2) the Santa Cam video for Mid-Atlantic and passing Lajes do Pico in the Azores replaced the 2002 Santa Cam video for San Francisco, California.

2002


See article NORAD Tracks Santa Videos - 2002 to 2003 - Full Video Clips to see video clips as part of the 2002 NORAD Tracks Santa - Santa Cam Videos table.

New first-time Santa Cam videos for 2002 were: 1) Auckland, New Zealand, 2) Moscow, Russia, 3) Athens, Greece, 4) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 5) Washington, D.C., 6) St. Louis, Missouri, 7) Reindeer Lake in Canada, 8) San Francisco, California, and 9) Seattle, Washington.

A Santa Cam video for 2002 shows Santa at both the International Space Station (ISS) and passing the Egyptian Pyramids of Giza, instead of just the International Space Station (ISS) as in the 1999 - 2001 Santa Cam videos.

The Santa Cam video for Auckland, New Zealand replaced the 1999 - 2001 Santa Cam videos showing the satellite view of Santa flying over Fiji.

The Santa Cam video for Moscow, Russia replaced the 1999 - 2001 Santa Cam videos showing the satellite view of Finland.

The Santa Cam video for Athens, Greece replaced the 1999 - 2001 Santa Cam videos showing the satellite view of Santa flying over the Philippine Sea.

The Santa Cam video for Moscow, Russia the 1999 - 2001 Santa Cam videos for Athens, Greece.

The Santa Cam video for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania replaced the the 1999 - 2001 Santa Cam videos for New York City, New York.

The Santa Cam video for Washington, D.C. replaced the the 1999 - 2001 Santa Cam videos for the CF-18's being scrambled in Eastern Canada.

The Santa Cam video for St. Louis, Missouri replaced the the 1999 - 2001 Santa Cam videos for for Chicago, Illinois.

The Santa Cam video for San Francisco, California replaced the the 1999 - 2001 Santa Cam videos for the Grand Canyon, Arizona.

The Santa Cam video for Seattle, Washington replaced the the 1999 - 2001 Santa Cam videos for the Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Past Highlights 1997 to 2001


Other places shown on Santa Cam by NORAD Tracks Santa during the years 1997 thru 2001 included: 1) Santa Claus approaching the Statue of Liberty on Christmas Eve of 2001, 2) the Three Pyramids and the Sphinx in Giza, outside Cairo, Egypt, 3) the ruins of the ancient Mayan civilization in Palenque, Mexico, 4) Santa flying by the Russian space station, Mir over Australia, 5) the Washington Monument on the National Mall in the US Capitol, Washington, DC, 6) the O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois, and 7) the Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.



2001, 2000, and 1999 Videos


See article NORAD Tracks Santa Videos - 1965 to 2001 - Full Video Clips to see video clips as part of the 2001, 2000, and 1999 NORAD Tracks Santa - Santa Cam Videos table.

1999


In 1999, the Santa Cam locations for Santa's journey were:

Because of possible upcoming Y2K (Year 2000) issues on Christmas Eve of 1999, and to ensure that children and the young at heart world-wide could monitor Santa Claus activity on Christmas Eve, which was one one of the largest waves of Santa Claus sightings in the 20th century, space.com and NORAD prepared a special CD-ROM in advance of Santa Claus' Christmas Eve journey. This CD-ROM featured high-resolution, audio-enhanced movies and telemetry data of his journey and included all the Santa Cam videos of his 1999 visits. Space.com distributed the CD-ROMs for a nominal shipping fee, after one ordered these CD-ROMs from its website. At this point, in the 21st century, these 1999 NORAD Tracks Santa season CD-ROMs are probably a collector's item.

1997


In 1997, the first season that NORAD broadcast Santa's journey on the World Wide Web and the internet, the Santa Cam locations for Santa's journey were: